Knicks show interest in Kings’ De’Aaron Fox amid Julius Randle trade rumors in New York
The Kings have signaled a desire to continue building around De’Aaron Fox, the 24-year-old point guard who came out of Kentucky as the No. 5 pick in the 2017 NBA draft, but his name still keeps coming up in trade rumors.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Friday on “The Hoop Collective” podcast the Knicks have shown interest in Fox as Thursday’s NBA trade deadline approaches. Windhorst pointed out that a deal for Fox would likely involve Knicks power forward Julius Randle, who has been the subject of trade rumors in New York.
“This has been reported elsewhere, but I’ve heard as well that the Knicks have shown some interest in De’Aaron Fox,” Windhorst said. “The player that makes the most sense in that swap is Julius Randle.”
These remarks came on the heels of a separate report from Windhorst suggesting the New Orleans Pelicans were “trying to trade” for Fox. Previous reporting from The Sacramento Bee and The Athletic linked Fox to talks with the Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers.
Sources maintain the Kings organization would prefer to build around Fox and second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton, a 2021 Rookie of the Year finalist. The Kings (19-35) have informed Fox and his representatives at Family First Sports they do not intent to trade him, but general manager Monte McNair must consider all options as the franchise seeks to end a record-tying 15-year playoff drought.
Fox is in the first year of a new deal after signing a five-year, $163 million max contract extension with the Kings. He is averaging 21.0 points and 5.2 assists, down from 25.2 points and 7.2 assists last season.
Fox has missed the past seven games due to a sore left ankle. He is questionable for Saturday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden 1 Center.
Fox told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports he asked the Kings to inform him first if he was going to be traded, saying he didn’t want to find out via social media. When asked if the team had come to him to discuss the possibility of a trade, Fox said: “They’ve told me what they needed to tell me.”
Randle, 27, is making $19.8 million this season in the final year of a three-year, $62.1 million contract, but he is owed $117 million over the next four years after signing an extension with the Knicks last summer. He is averaging 18.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, down from his 2020-21 season averages of 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists.
Ian Begley of SportsNet New York recently reported Randle could be subject to trade talks. Randle bristled at that notion when asked about it Friday, saying that “sounds like gossip to me,” but the Knicks (24-28) have fallen to 12th in the Eastern Conference after finishing fourth last season.
“It’s worth noting that one team in touch with a member of the organization recently is under the impression that Julius Randle would be available for the right return,” Begley said, “which shouldn’t be a surprise because this team needs to upgrade its roster in any way they can if they want to salvage this season.”
