Is De’Aaron Fox’s Time With the Kings Starting to Dwindle?
The Sacramento Kings have completed over a quarter of the 2024 season, and fans could say that they are underperforming. After making a big sign-and-trade for DeMar DeRozan over the summer, the Kings had expectations to compete in the Western Conference. As we approach Christmas Day, the Kings are in sole position of the 12th seed and have a record of 13-17. They are two and a half games back of the 10th seed, which is held by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
With the Kings season currently not meeting expectations, star guard De’Aaron Fox might be on his way out from the franchise. It was reported that Fox’s agent, Rich Paul, met with the Kings front office to discuss the team's direction. It is important to note that Paul and Fox are just reading the room and have not officially requested a trade out of Sacramento. The Kings, who are in the midst of a five-game homestand, are currently on a four-game losing streak. The team has failed to score over 100 points in their last three games as well.
Fox has played in every game this season and is averaging just over 26 points per game while shooting nearly 49% from the field. He has been playing like an All-Star this year, but the Kings’ success this season has not been reflected in his play. This has been the case throughout Fox’s career. In eight years with the Kings, he has only been to the playoffs once. Earlier last week, Fox on a podcast emphasized that he wants to win at a high level.
Teams around the association have already been keeping an eye on the Kings and Fox’s situation. Most aggressively have been the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are very interested in pairing the Kings star with Victor Wembanyama and are positioning themselves to acquire Fox once he is made available. Other teams rumored to be interested in Fox are the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic.
It is important to mention that before the 2024 season started, Fox declined a three-year, $165 million contract extension. Fox’s current contract is set to expire after the 2025-2026 season. If the Kings were to trade Fox this season, it would have to be before the NBA Trade Deadline, which is on February 6th. For now, Fox is a King and looks to right the ship as soon as Thursday when the Pistons come into Sacramento. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
