‘Bright future ahead’: Why Kings GM Monte McNair made De’Aaron Fox a $163 million man
The Kings formally announced Wednesday they have signed 22-year-old point guard De’Aaron Fox to a multiyear contract extension.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but a league source told The Sacramento Bee that Fox received a maximum five-year, $163 million extension that could reach the $195.6 million super max with incentives.
Fox thanked Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé and general manager Monte McNair — and praised Kings fans — in a statement issued by the team.
“I would like to thank Vivek and Monte for this opportunity to continue my career with the Kings,” Fox said. “It has been an honor to play in front of the best fans in all of sports and begin my career here in Sacramento. I look forward to getting back on the court with my teammates, competing hard every night and leading this team to the next level.”
The Kings selected Fox out of Kentucky with the No. 5 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He averaged a career-high 21.1 points, 6.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds last season after being a finalist for the Most Improved Player award in 2018-19.
McNair explained why the Kings made a long-term commitment to the speedy Fox, one of the quickest point guards in the game.
“De’Aaron is amongst the elite young guards in the league and I can’t say enough about how excited we are to have his talent, leadership and potential remain in Sacramento for years to come,” McNair said. “His speed and dynamic playmaking ability along with his aggressive defensive mindset are core to our team’s identity. Not only is De’Aaron a fierce competitor who is committed to winning here, his charisma and integrity are characteristics we value greatly. I anticipate a bright future ahead for him and the organization.”
This story was originally published November 25, 2020 at 9:44 AM.
