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Less than two years after leading the Kings to their first playoff berth in 16 seasons, De’Aaron Fox may be on his way out of Sacramento.
The Kings have opened up trade talks for Fox, who drafted him with the No. 5 pick in 2017, with just over a week left until the Feb. 6 trade deadline, according to ESPN senior NBA insider Shams Charania. Multiple reports have indicated the All-Star point guard already has a preferred destination.
According to The Athletic, a marriage between Fox and Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio is the likely outcome. It’s worth noting that Fox’s wife, Recee, grew up in San Antonio.
Other interested teams will reportedly be discouraged from trading for Fox, who will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.
Fox is in the fourth season of a five-year, $163 million maximum rookie extension he signed in 2020. His $34.8 million salary this season is still relatively light for a player of his ability.
But Fox turned down a three-year, $165 million maximum extension late last year to aim for a larger deal this offseason, which could have been a five-year, $345 million supermax deal if he stayed in Sacramento and made an All-NBA team. However, it was unlikely Fox would qualify for an All-NBA team, partially because the 24–22 Kings sit at 10th in the West. Instead, he will be eligible for a four-year extension worth $229 million.
If he chooses to wait through next season and become an unrestricted free agent, Fox can either sign a five-year, $296 million extension with a team that has his rights or a four-year, $219 million deal with another team, according to ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks.
Last month, Sacramento fired head coach Mike Brown, who won Coach of the Year with the team in 2023. Brown had been publicly critical of the lack of effort given by his star guard.
A Jimmy Butler Update
On the other side of the country, the Heat have been unable to trade away disgruntled star Jimmy Butler. On Monday, Miami handed an indefinite suspension to Butler after he walked out of the team’s shootaround ahead of a game against the Magic.
It’s the third time in a month that Butler has been suspended. The first was for seven games and the second was for two. But the Heat have struggled to find a deal for Butler as Phoenix, his desired destination, has been unable to convince Bradley Beal to waive his no-trade clause.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Tuesday that the Heat have lowered their asking price for Butler. The Warriors are now reportedly in the mix to try to trade for the six-time All-Star, according to Yahoo Sports NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor.
