The Sacramento Kings had ambitions of making a run in the West, but now their entire future is uncertain following a mediocre start and questions of loyalty revolving around their All-Star guard, De’Aaron Fox. According to the latest intel from NBA insider Matt Moore, the belief among executives is that Fox will soon be ready to bounce from the Kings and that he may be available for trade as soon as this summer.
“Last month, De’Aaron Fox turned down a $165 million extension. The assumption was that this was about next summer’s financial opportunity for Fox and nothing to worry about. Other executives aren’t so sure, and they’re ready to pounce. One thing that would likely change this conversation immediately is if Fox secured an All-NBA selection and opened up the supermax for him to re-sign. That’s absolutely on the table for a player averaging 28-5-6 with room to improve his efficiency. If he doesn’t, however, and the Kings’ season goes sideways, things are going to get hot. Fox is represented by Klutch Sports, which means there’s always drama around the corner.”
Fox, 26, was drafted 5th overall in 2017. He rose to stardom on the Kings in 2023, when he averaged 25.0 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game on 51.2% shooting. As one of the longest-tenured Kings and one of the league’s top offensive point guards, De’Aaron Fox has become one of the most highly coveted players in basketball — and now, rival executives believe he could soon be available.
Since his arrival eight years ago, Fox has embraced the pressure of life under the spotlight but there’s a growing sentiment that he’s better off trying something new.
This season, coming off an impressive stretch of basketball for the Kings, there was faith that they could make some kind of run. Between Fox, Sabonis, and DeMar DeRozan, they had reason to believe a historic playoff run was within reach for the franchise.
But at 9-12 so far, the Kings rank 12th in the West, just a game above the Trail Blazers for 13th in the conference. It’s been a painfully mediocre season for the Kings despite a nice individual scoring season from Fox, who is averaging 27.5 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game on 49.3% shooting.
After declining a $165 million extension in the offseason, Fox is set to be a free agent in the summer of 2026 but the Kings will have to trade him way before that to get maximum value for the young point guard.
Regarding potential interested parties, teams like the Magic, Lakers, Spurs, and Heat are all in play but the price for Fox will be steep and not everyone will be willing to pay. After trading the point guard, the Kings will no doubt want some picks and young talent of their own so they can start to rebuild with a clean slate.
Only the team willing to meet those demands will have a chance for De’Aaron Fox and even then the odds are slim. After investing so much into De’Aaron, and trading Tyrese Haliburton for him, the Kings owe it to him and to themselves to see this through and ride it out until the very end.
Fox and the Kings play again tonight, at 10:00 PM EST, at Golden 1 Center against the Houston Rockets. They have a night off before traveling to Memphis for a game against the Grizzlies at 8:00 PM EST. On Sunday, December 8th, the Grizzlies end the week with a game at home against the Utah Jazz, at 9:00 PM EST.
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