Victor Wembanyama has his co-star.
On Sunday night, the San Antonio Spurs acquired De’Aaron Fox from the Sacramento Kings as part of a three-team trade that also sent Zach LaVine from the Bulls to the Kings.
The reported move in Sacramento comes in light of concerns about Fox’s long-term commitment to the Kings, leading the team to trade him rather than risk losing him for nothing in 2026.
A Three-Way Deal
- Spurs: Get De’Aaron Fox, Jordan McLaughlin
- Kings: Get Zach LaVine, Sidy Cissoko, three first-round picks (2025 Hornets, 2027 Spurs, 2031 Timberwolves), three second-round picks (2025 Bulls, 2028 Nuggets, 2028 own pick back)
- Bulls: Get Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, their 2025 first-round pick back
In Sacramento, the hope is that LaVine is a good fit with players like Domantas Sabonis—while there’s no telling how valuable the draft picks will turn out to be.
The Bulls, who have reportedly been looking to move LaVine for more than a year, finally unload his contract and get their 2025 pick back. And this could spell even more changes in Chicago.
The three-way deal comes on the heels of Saturday night’s stunning blockbuster trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Mavericks, adding even more drama to the NBA season with the Feb. 6 trade deadline approaching.
Fox, a native of Katy, Texas, is a former All Star who the Kings recently said they’d listen to trade talks for after it became uncertain the 6-foot-2 guard would sign an extension with the Kings in the offseason. Fox is making around $34.8 million this season and will make $37 million in the 2025-26 season before being a free agent the following summer.
In August, Fox will be eligible for a contract renegotiation in addition to an extension. The Spurs are expected to have salary cap space, which would allow Fox to earn as much as $46 million next season, according to ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks, instead of the projected $37 million. He’s also eligible for a four-year extension for $229 million. Fox can’t sign an extension until six months after the trade.
The 27-year-old is the first star to seek the Spurs as a trade destination to pair himself with Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 center, who’s in his second year in the NBA and widely considered the future face of the game. The Spurs are currently 21–25 and face a slightly uphill battle to make the playoffs, but add Fox to a team that also has future Hall of Famer Chris Paul in addition to Wembanyama.
The trade marks the first the Bulls have made in the regular season since 2021 and reunites LaVine with former Bulls co-star DeMar DeRozan in Sacramento. The deal also gets LaVine’s five-year, $215 million contract, which he signed in 2021, finally off Chicago’s books. LaVine’s career has been marred by leg injuries since he signed, which made his contract unmoveable at times. He has bounced back this year, playing in 42 of 50 games while averaging 24 points per game—which allowed him to get dealt. LaVine still has two years left on the deal, as he will make $46 million next season and has a player option for $49 million for the 2026-27 season.
LaVine’s contract comes with a $9.5 million trade bonus, which he reduced to $3 million, according to Marks, to help the Kings with salary cap flexibility. With LaVine being traded and the team reacquiring its own draft pick, the Bulls, which have been a middling team in recent seasons, appear to be headed for a rebuild.
