Sacramento Kings

Sacramento Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox doesn't appear headed to the Los Angeles Lakers amid ongoing trade rumors and speculation regarding the 27-year-old star.

"One thing I can say, with Rich Paul, we know he's got LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the Lakers. I'm told the Lakers are not part of that destination of choice for De'Aaron Fox potentially," ESPN's Shams Charania reported on NBA Today.

Earlier Tuesday, Charania reported bombshell news on Fox, who could be headed out of Sacramento. Of note, Fox reportedly has a "target destination" in mind prior to his upcoming 2026 free agency.

JUST IN: The Sacramento Kings are expected to open up talks to potentially deal All-Star De'Aaron Fox ahead of Feb. 6 trade deadline, sources tell ESPN. There will be plenty of suitors, but it's believed that Fox has a target destination in mind ahead of 2026 free agency. pic.twitter.com/Oh3fXgZjm3

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 28, 2025

SNY's Ian Begley reported that the Brooklyn Nets are monitoring the Fox situation, while ESPN and Sirius XM Radio's Frank Isola also mentioned them as being "in play."

The Nets, per sources, are among the teams that view De’Aaron Fox as a trade target and have been monitoring the Fox situation in SAC. ESPN reports Kings are expected to listen to offers ahead of trade deadline but Fox has preferred destination. He is under contract through…

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) January 28, 2025

Brooklyn Nets are in play. As one source said “they’re one of the options.” https://t.co/6T7lX7h2mQ

— Frank Isola (@TheFrankIsola) January 28, 2025

The Houston Rockets have been mentioned, but NBA insider Marc Stein reports the team wants to see how far this current group can go.

There will be inevitable trade connections made between the Rockets and De'Aaron Fox, but league sources tell @TheSteinLine that Houston's in-season intentions remain unchanged: Let this current group see how far it can go.

More from NBA Trade Season: https://t.co/LFQEa4zNFM https://t.co/08aiCKbGfG

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 28, 2025

Longtime Kings reporter James Ham said the San Antonio Spurs are believed to be Fox's preferred destination.

According to multiple sources, if De'Aaron Fox leaves the Kings via trade, his preferred landing spot is the San Antonio Spurs. It could be an interesting couple of days in Sacramento.

— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) January 28, 2025

Sam Amick of The Athletic also connected Fox and the Spurs.

Source: De'Aaron Fox's agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, recently sent word that it would be wise for the Kings to move him now.

Even with Fox's preferred destination - widely believed to be San Antonio - Fox's side will remain open to all destinations.

More here, at…

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) January 28, 2025

Forbes' Evan Sidery also said San Antonio and Fox "hold significant mutual interest."

The Spurs and De’Aaron Fox are believed to hold significant mutual interest in a future partnership, per source.

Fox believes he is the missing piece in San Antonio alongside Victor Wembanyama to make them a sustainable title threat in the Western Conference for years to come. pic.twitter.com/PHMM4Xm4vE

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) January 28, 2025

Fox has averaged 25.2 points, 6.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game this season for the 24-22 Kings, who sit 10th in the Western Conference.

It's no surprise the Spurs, among other teams, have interest in Fox. As for why Fox might want to be in San Antonio, one towering reason makes sense above over all others in Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama, who could very well hold the league's title as its unquestionable GOAT soon enough.

Wembanyama is averaging 24.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and a league-high 3.9 blocks for a much-improved Spurs team that went 22-60 last year to 20-23 this year. San Antonio has a fighting chance at making the play-in tournament, and a top-six spot isn't even out of the question (the Spurs are currently three losses behind the Los Angeles Clippers for sixth).

Fox is from Texas, having gone to school at Cypress Lakes in Katy, which is less than a three-hour drive from San Antonio. So he could go close to his old home and play with one of the best players in the world.

The Spurs need a long-term solution at point guard too. Veteran and future Hall of Famer Chris Paul is faring quite well right now, but he's a free agent after this season and turns 40 in May.

The table could be set for Fox in San Antonio, but in the meantime, he's running the show for the Kings, who are fighting hard in the playoff race.

De'Aaron Fox has never played for an NBA team outside of the Sacramento Kings, but that could change in the coming days.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday that Sacramento is "expected to open up talks to potentially deal" the guard before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Charania noted that "there will be plenty of suitors, but it's believed that Fox has a target destination in mind ahead of 2026 free agency."

Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that Rich Paul, Fox's agent, recently told the Kings it'd be "wise" to move the star:

Source: De'Aaron Fox's agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, recently sent word that it would be wise for the Kings to move him now.

Even with Fox's preferred destination - widely believed to be San Antonio - Fox's side will remain open to all destinations.

More here, at…

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) January 28, 2025

NBA insider Chris Haynes added that Fox "is zeroed in on" a particular landing spot:

Sources: Kings star De’Aaron Fox is zeroed in on landing spot as franchise looks to possibly move him. Interested teams will likely be discouraged from trading for him being he’s set to become UFA in 2026. Fox’s unwillingness to sign extension has positioned the situation here.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 28, 2025

Kings insider James Ham later reported Fox's preferred destination is the San Antonio Spurs.

While much of the discussion leading up to the trade deadline at this point has centered around 35-year-old Jimmy Butler and 31-year-old Bradley Beal, Fox being available gives potential contenders a chance to add a star player near his peak with more than just the rest of this season remaining on his contract.

After all, the University of Kentucky product is signed through the 2025-26 campaign.

Don't expect the team to land Fox to be the Los Angeles Lakers even though there is a connection with the Purple and Gold's stars.

"One thing I can say, with Rich Paul, we know he's got LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the Lakers," Charania said on NBA Today. "I'm told the Lakers are not part of that destination of choice for De'Aaron Fox potentially."

Reporting for NBA Today -- the Kings' franchise cornerstone, All-Star guard De'Aaron Fox, could be moved ahead of next week's NBA trade deadline: pic.twitter.com/JzcJMsyHF0

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 28, 2025

That is welcome news for the rest of the Western Conference, as pairing Fox with James and Davis would put opposing defenses in situations where they had to choose their poison. They could not double all three players, and Fox has the quickness to take advantage of even the smallest sliver of space that would be created.

Another Western Conference contender may also be out of the running, as NBA insider Marc Stein reported the Houston Rockets prefer to "let this current group see how far it can go."

The 27-year-old is averaging 25.2 points, 6.2 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from deep. While the perimeter shooting could stand to be improved, he is still one of the best playmakers in the league and would provide a significant boost to whichever team trades for him.

He would also require a significant return, which could help the 24-22 Kings facilitate a quick reshuffling instead of a full-on rebuild in the coming year or two.

De'Aaron Fox has been involved in trade rumors for much of the season and his future with the Sacramento Kings is unclear.

If the Kings decide to trade him, they reportedly might avoid sending him to their rivals to the south.

Jovan Buha of The Athletic said on his YouTube channel on Saturday that there's "uncertainty" regarding the Kings' willingness to deal Fox to the Los Angeles Lakers.

"There's a lot of uncertainty about how available he actually is," Buha said (1:02:00 mark). "There's some uncertainty about would they even trade him to the Lakers, their bitter rival."

Fox, now in his eighth season in the NBA, is putting up 25.1 points, 6.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game this year. He could certainly turn the Lakers from a fringe playoff team to a Finals contender, but the Kings would likely need a big return for the 27-year-old.

If Sacramento moves on from Fox, it might wait until after the season. The Athletic's Sam Amick reported earlier this month that there is a "strong belief" that Fox is more likely to be moved this summer.

Should the Kings opt to trade Fox during the regular season, Amick reported that the Orlando Magic "are known to be contemplating a pursuit," also noting the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat and Lakers are potentially interested teams.

The Kings were far from playoff contention earlier this year but found their groove after firing head coach Mike Brown. Sacramento has won 10 of its last 13 games and is now sitting at 23-22, just outside of the top eight in the West.

Had the Kings' struggles continued, trading Fox could have been a smart move to start planning for the future. Now that they're in the playoff hunt, it might be worth holding onto their star at least until the offseason.

Don't expect the Sacramento Kings to swing a deal for Brooklyn Nets' wing Cam Johnson.

According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, the Kings have been "frequently mentioned this month as an aggressive trade suitor for the Nets' sharpshooter, but league sources told The Stein Line on Wednesday that there have been no discussions between the Kings and Nets regarding Johnson for weeks. Sources say that the Kings, at this juncture, do not see a pathway to a workable Johnson deal with the Nets."

Stein added that the Kings are "aggressively exploring their trade options in advance of the deadline but do not appear to be close to the forefront of the Johnson chase as we speak."

Reports have suggested that the two sides might be close to a deal, haggling over draft assets involved, though Stein's report suggested otherwise.

The Kings and Nets are negotiating over first-round pick protections in a potential trade involving Cam Johnson, per @James_HamNBA (https://t.co/4slCuOO1k5).

Brooklyn wants an unprotected future first for Johnson, but Sacramento currently is only willing to offer it protected. pic.twitter.com/JUMiCuxiJD

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) January 22, 2025

NBA reporter Jake Fischer previously noted on the Bad Weather Fans Podcast (h/t Wilko Martinez Cachero of SI.com) that the "word around the league" is that the Nets would "move [Johnson] if they get two firsts and stuff."

Johnson, 28, is having a fantastic season for Brooklyn, averaging 19.4 points per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from three. He undoubtedly would benefit a contender as a floor-spacing wing, though on a better team his offensive role would undoubtedly be shrunk—Johnson is currently attempting a career-high 13.1 shots per contest.

While his $22.5 million salary won't be the easiest to match for contenders looking to upgrade on the wing, the fact that he's under contract through the 2026-27 season should be attractive for teams with a championship window that will remain open for several seasons. The Nets, however, should be seeking significant draft capital to move him, as Brooklyn is in desperate need of a complete rebuild around young players.

The 22-20 Kings could use an injection of shooting and Johnson would be a nice upgrade over a player like Kevin Huerter on the wing. It sounds as though for now, however, they'll be going in a different direction.

Despite their recent run of success, the Sacramento Kings reportedly haven't been major players on the trade market as of yet.

Speaking Wednesday on Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective (beginning at the 29:22 mark), ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst said the Kings have not been "super active" in terms of seeking trades prior to the Feb. 6 deadline.

Windhorst did note that the Kings have been "regarded as a possible buyer" when all is said and done, especially now that a five-game winning streak has gotten them to a more respectable 18-19 mark on the season.

In 2022-23, the Kings went 48-34 and reached the playoffs, ending what was the NBA's longest active playoff drought at the time. Prior to that, the Kings had not reached the playoffs in 16 seasons.

That marked the first full season Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox spent together in Sacramento, so it was widely expected that more success was on the horizon for the Kings.

Sacramento took a step back last season, though, going 46-36 and losing in the postseason play-in tournament.

As a result, the Kings got aggressive in the offseason, acquiring veteran wing DeMar DeRozan in a trade with the Chicago Bulls to play alongside Sabonis and Fox.

Entering play Wednesday, the trio of Sabonis, Fox and DeRozan were all averaging over 20 points per game this season. Sacramento has also gotten some notable contributions out of Malik Monk, Keegan Murray, Kevin Huerter, Keon Ellis and Trey Lyles.

It can be argued that the Kings have one of the deepest teams in the NBA, and while keeping that together could be beneficial, it could also behoove the Kings to use some of that depth to make a significant trade.

Lyles has the largest expiring contract on the team at $8 million, whereas Huerter is under contract for two more years before becoming an unrestricted free agent and Murray has two more years before restricted free agency.

The 24-year-old Murray, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft out of Iowa, is having a down year offensively.

Although he is averaging a career-high 7.4 rebounds per game, his 11.7 points and 1.7 three-pointers made per contest are career lows, and he is shooting a career-worst 41.4 percent from the field and 30.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Murray shot a sizzling 41.1 percent from deep as a rookie and averaged a career-high 15.2 points per game last season, so expectations were high entering the 2024-25 campaign.

Although trading a player with the talent level of Murray is a move that could hurt the Kings over the long term, he is likely their biggest trade chip in terms of returning an instant impact player.

The Kings are 2.5 games out of a top-six seed in the Western Conference and they are still battling for a top-10 seed, but if they are able to continue their winning ways, they seem like a prime candidate to add by the deadline.

De'Aaron Fox's relationship with Mike Brown reportedly didn't influence the Sacramento Kings' decision to make a head coaching change last week.

On Friday's episode of The Hoop Collective, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported that the relationship between Fox and Brown was "strong" before Brown's firing on Dec. 27 and that he doesn't believe Fox was involved in the decision.

"From what I know, I believe De'Aaron Fox," Windhorst said (54:00). "I don't believe he had something to do with this. I think De'Aaron Fox and Mike Brown's relationship was strong. That's what I believe and what I've been told."

Brown was in his third season with the Kings and had led the team to a playoff appearance in 2022-23. That was the first postseason berth for Sacramento since the 2005-06 season and it looked like the future was bright with a core surrounding Fox.

"I feel like there's this perception that people thought that we were at odds," Fox said, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. "You can ask anybody in this organization: me and Mike have never even had an argument. We could disagree with something. We talked about it and it was gone."

Sacramento started the season 13-18, which was disappointing after two consecutive winning seasons and the noted addition of DeMar DeRozan in the offseason. Since Brown's firing, Sacramento has gone 2-1 and currently sit in 12th place in the Western Conference.

While the team struggled to start the season, Fox has been as advertised averaging 26.8 points, 6.2 assists and five rebounds in 34 games to date.

Sacramento Kings star point guard De'Aaron Fox is one of the top players rumored to be a trade candidate ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline, and another team is reportedly in the mix to acquire him.

According to The Athletic's Sam Amick, the Orlando Magic "are known to be contemplating a pursuit" of Fox. Amick also noted that the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers "top the list of teams that are most often discussed as possible Fox landing spots."

The Magic have dealt with a slew of injuries to key players but still rank first in the Southeast Division with a 20-15 record. The team has managed to stay afloat despite being without rising star forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, who are both sidelined indefinitely with oblique injuries.

Adding Fox would give Orlando or any other team that acquires him one of the best point guards in the NBA. The 27-year-old is ranked fifth in the NBA while averaging a career-high 26.8 points along with 5.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.6 steals. He put on one of the best performances of the season so far when he dropped a career-high 60 points on 22-of-35 shooting in an overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 15.

Despite Fox's individual brilliance, the Kings have struggled to overcome a tumultuous start to the year and rank last in the Pacific Division with a 15-19 record. Head coach Mike Brown was fired last week and replaced by interim coach Doug Christie.

Prior to the 2024 season, Fox turned down a three-year, $165 million maximum extension from Sacramento because he's eligible for a four-year, $229 million max extension next summer. If he's selected to one of the three All-NBA teams this season, he will be eligible for a five-year, $345 million supermax deal.

The Kings' disappointing season could influence the team to tear things down and rebuild for the future. Trading a player of Fox's caliber would undoubtedly require a massive return that could give Sacramento a bevy of assets to help improve the roster.

The Sacramento Kings made a tough decision by firing Mike Brown, and it was reportedly a decision that "nobody wanted."

Per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, the Kings tried to make other changes before firing Brown. They inquired about Zach LaVine, Brandon Ingram, Cam Thomas and Kyle Kuzma. After those trades didn't work out, they decided to move on from Brown.

"Nobody wanted to fire Mike," one Kings source said, per Shelburne. "He's a good coach. People here really care about him. Until the very last moment we were trying to make it work."

According to Shelburne, stars De'Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis were not consulted about the decision. Sacramento felt like it had the roster to compete, but needed a chance at head coach.

"That team has plenty of talent," one source with knowledge of the team said. "The roster is fine. They had to make a change."

The Kings started the year 13-13 but lost five straight before Brown's firing. His exit came just months after a multi-year extension and less than two seasons after he led them to their first playoff appearance in 16 years.

He was named the NBA's Coach of the Year in 2022-23 after leading Sacramento to a 48-34 record. In the playoffs that year, he took the defending champion Golden State Warriors to seven games before losing in the first round.

Last season, the Kings lost just two more games than the previous year, but a stronger Western Conference led to Sacramento missing the playoffs after losing one of its two play-in tournament games.

Brown set a new standard for the Kings by reaching the playoffs, but his squad seemed on its way to a second straight postseason absence this year despite reloading with new talent this offseason.

There were also rumors of tension between Brown and Fox, though Fox shut those rumors down in the days after Brown's firing.

"There was never any push back about anything," Fox wrote on social media. "This narrative of us butting heads or me going to management saying anything is bulls--t. So you can run with that if you want to."

There was never any push back about anything. This narrative of us butting heads or me going to management saying anything is bullshit. So you can run with that if you want to. https://t.co/z5rBpWmail

— De'Aaron Fox (@swipathefox) December 30, 2024

The choice to part ways with Brown could come back to hurt the Kings if they are not able to regroup under new leadership. Sacramento has had little consistency over the past decade-plus and Doug Christie, the team's interim coach, is the eighth coach the Kings have had since 2013.

It's a risky move, but Sacramento has the talent to compete in the playoffs. Now it just needs the right coach to lead the way.

Sacramento Kings star De'Aaron Fox disputed the idea he had issues with head coach Mike Brown or helped to orchestrate Brown's ouster.

"There was never any push back about anything," he said Monday on X. "This narrative of us butting heads or me going to management saying anything is bulls--t. So you can run with that if you want to."

There was never any push back about anything. This narrative of us butting heads or me going to management saying anything is bullshit. So you can run with that if you want to. https://t.co/z5rBpWmail

— De'Aaron Fox (@swipathefox) December 30, 2024

Fox was responding to comments by former NBA guard Lou Williams on FanDuel TV's Run It Back. Williams reported "there was just some pushback from how De'Aaron Fox was continuously being singled out."

DeMar DeRozan was asked to come off the bench and De'Aaron Fox was continuously singled out...👀

Lou Williams shares insider information on why the Kings might've decided to fire Mike Brown

WE'RE LIVE ⬇️https://t.co/CfAwAvgFYZ@MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 | @ChandlerParsons pic.twitter.com/SxKDNTipDT

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) December 30, 2024

Even assuming Fox didn't have a direct role in the decision to fire Brown, fans connected some pretty straightforward dots.

The Athletic's Sam Amick and Anthony Slater reported on Dec. 21 that Fox's agent, Rich Paul, had recently met with Kings general manager Monte McNair and assistant GM Wes Wilcox to get a read on their plans to move the franchise forward. The implications were clear with Fox eligible to become a free agent in 2026.

Less than a week later, Sacramento made a coaching change.

Slater and Amick examined the multiple factors that led to Brown's exit. Among the issues was how the coach's penchant for challenging his players, Fox included, in public and behind closed doors was starting to wear thin.

During a practice a day before the firing was announced, Brown and Fox had a long conversation that wasn't heated and seemed to end cordially enough.

This moment between Kings head coach Mike Brown and De'Aaron Fox at today's practice will certainly be dissected and analyzed. pic.twitter.com/x6dYwZ1zf8

— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) December 27, 2024

One presumes it was mostly or entirely in relation to Fox's foul on Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey that resulted in a four-point play for the Pistons. That mistake was the difference in Sacramento's 114-113 loss to Detroit.

If nothing else, Fox didn't sound heartbroken by the fact Brown got fired. He was matter-of-fact when addressing the situation and pointed to how the veteran coach will continue to get paid thanks to the contract extension he signed in the summer.

I asked De’Aaron Fox is there any pressure or guilt the players feel after the front office dismissed head coach Mike Brown:

“We all know the job that we have. You can be traded at any point, released, cut, fired or whatever it may be. I wouldn’t use the word guilt, but that’s… pic.twitter.com/MpkE5c5XyT

— Kirsten Moran-Kellar (@kirstenlizmoran) December 28, 2024

It's not as though this is the first controversial or puzzling decision the Kings have made during the stewardship of team governor Vivek Ranadivé. Doug Christie is the eighth coach Sacramento has hired on an interim or permanent basis since Ranadivé took control in May 2013.

Dysfunction has long been the norm rather than the exception.

Still, concluding that Brown would still be around if he and Fox were on solid footing together doesn't feel like a big stretch.

Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff had the back of one of his NBA colleagues on Saturday.

"The way that it was handled was classless," Bickerstaff told reporters when discussing the Sacramento Kings' firing of Mike Brown. "When Mike pours himself into his job like he does, he deserves better than that. … I thought it was s--tty, to be honest with you, the way it was handled."

J.B. Bickerstaff on the Kings firing Mike Brown:

“The way that it was handled was classless. When Mike pours himself into his job like he does, he deserves better than that. … I thought it was shitty, to be honest with you, the way it was handled.” pic.twitter.com/4ubS2gSK0n

— Hunter Patterson (@HuntPatterson_) December 29, 2024

The two are close, and Brown even told reporters he used to babysit Bickerstaff ahead of Thursday's game between their two teams. Brown called the Pistons coach a "fantastic" man and a "high-character" guy.

Bickerstaff isn't the only NBA coach to defend Brown, as Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone told reporters Kings governor Vivek Ranadive showed "no class" with the firing.

While Sacramento has struggled this season, it was still a rather shocking development. After all, the team just hired him ahead of the 2022-23 campaign and signed him to a multi-year contract this offseason.

Brown also led the Kings to the playoffs in his first season, which snapped a 16-year streak without reaching the postseason. They then went 46-36 during the 2023-24 campaign.

This season has not gone according to plan, as the Kings are just 13-19 and lost five in a row prior to the firing. The Athletic's Anthony Slater and Sam Amick reported the organizational angst reached an all-time high after Thursday's loss to the Pistons and that Brown's "stern" demeanor was "beginning to wear on some players."

Still, Brown quickly found success in an organization that hasn't enjoyed much of it of late and clearly still has the belief of his fellow NBA coaches.

Despite that, Sacramento decided to move on and focus on turning things around under interim coach Doug Christie. He has plenty of work to do, as the team is in 12th place in the Western Conference standings after losing his first game on Saturday to the Los Angeles Lakers.