Kings star De’Aaron Fox addresses trade rumors. ‘Anything’s possible in this league’
De’Aaron Fox confirmed Wednesday what became public Tuesday.
The Sacramento Kings guard validated reports the team was fielding calls and trade offers for the former All-Star, and indicated he wouldn’t be surprised if he were moved ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
“In this league, I expect the unexpected,” Fox said in a brief interview Wednesday at Kings shootaround in Philadelphia before taking on the 76ers. “I think crazier things have happened.”
ESPN 1320’s Damien Barling on Tuesday was first to note trade talks involving the eight-year veteran were heating up, before the news became national when ESPN’s Shams Charania posted on X that the Kings were expected to “open up talks” to potentially trade Fox.
“That’s their decision to make. I can’t tell them not to listen to offers or I can’t tell them to listen to offers,” Fox said.
Asked to confirm whether he’d requested a trade, Fox responded: “No. You would know if I did.”
He also gave no indication he plans on sitting out games until the situation is resolved.
“Every day I step on the court, I do my job. That’s always my thing,” Fox said. “I’ve never been a person to worry about anything else or go and do anything else. Every time I step on the court, I try to play the best I can, I try to win games.”
Fox also didn’t rule the team making the necessary improvements that could lead to him staying. The team has been linked in rumors to Nets forward Cam Johnson and Jazz forward John Collins, but as of Wednesday there had been no substantial improvements made to the roster while the team entered the day as the No. 10 seed in the NBA Western Conference at 24-22.
“I think anything’s possible in this league. Like I said, crazier things have happened,” he said.
Fox participated in Wednesday’s shootaround as normal and appears in line to start against the 76ers following up his 30-point performance on Sunday in a win over the Brooklyn Nets.
He also confirmed he has a preferred destination, should he get traded, and pointed to what’s been reported about the San Antonio Spurs being his preferred landing spot.
“For sure, I think everybody has a preferred destination,” Fox said. “I think everybody has a preferred destination if they’re not in the place that — or if they’re not going to be in the place where they are in the moment. I think it’s natural.”
Fox was asked if he was bothered by the fact the Kings’ decision makers — namely owner Vivek Ranadivé, general manager Monte McNair and assistant GM Wes Wilcox — didn’t speak publicly following the sudden firing of Mike Brown Dec. 27. It led to speculation that Fox pushed for Brown’s removal while no one from the Kings publicly said otherwise.
“I really won’t go into detail on any of that stuff,” Fox said Wednesday.
Fox’s contract and prior remarks on Kings organization
The potential dissolution between the Kings and their franchise player could be traced back more than a year. McNair and Wilcox didn’t make substantial improvements to the roster at last year’s trade deadline after the team ended the NBA’s longest playoff drought, losing in the opening round to the Golden State Warriors in 2023.
Last spring, the team failed to get back to the playoffs by losing to the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in despite not having Zion Williamson. New Orleans beat Sacramento in all six of their meetings throughout the season thanks largely to their bigger, more physical roster.
Fox then declined a three-year contract extension over the summer, instead opting for a chance at a bigger contract down the road. He could have signed for three years and $165 million. But instead, he opted to wait given he’d be eligible for a four-year, $229-million deal in the upcoming summer — or a “super max” five-year $345 million deal should he earn All-NBA honors this season.
Fox made waves when he was asked about that decision on Draymond Green’s podcast in December.
“For me, man, it has all to do with the team, the organization, where are we going?” Fox said to Green. “I want to make sure that we’re in a position to try to win in the future because that’s ultimately what I want to do. I feel like I’m continuing to get better as a player every year. But for me, it’s ‘Are we looking like we’re continuing to get better year after year, and are we going to be able to compete at a high level?’
“If we can show that this year, you know, you sign the extension now. If not, obviously I still have another year, but that’s where my mindset is. I love the city. I love being here. I’ve raised my family here. I would love to be here and retire here. How many people can say they played in one organization for their whole career? I want to be a part of that select few people, but at the end of the day, I also want to win.”
Despite his love for Sacramento, Fox’s future with the Kings appears to be in doubt.
This story was originally published January 29, 2025 at 10:59 AM.
