This is the NBA’s week.
In the second massive trade of the day on Sunday, the Sacramento Kings are finalizing a trade to send De’Aaron Fox to the ‘River Walk’ and the San Antonio Spurs in a multi-team deal that ships Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls to Sacramento, according to ESPN.
Here’s the full trade ramifications:
• Spurs get: Fox, Jordan McLaughlin
• Kings get: LaVine, Sidy Cissoko, three first-round picks (2025 via Hornets, 2027 via Spurs, 2031 via Timberwolves)
• Bulls get: Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, their own 2025 first-round pick from Spurs
The Kings put Fox on the trading block ahead of the February 6 trade deadline in recent weeks after rumors and speculations emerged within the organization of the guard re-signing long-term with the team beyond his current contract, which terminates in the summer of 2026. The concerns first started brewing early in the season back in October, when Fox declined a reported three-year, $165 million contract extension with the intention of looking for a more lucrative deal.
It was reported back then that Fox wanted to be a mainstay of Sacramento’s future, but trade rumors began to run fast and furious in late December after Fox’s super-agent Rich Paul met with Sacramento’s brass to talk about the team’s long-term plans and to see if they align with what Fox’s goals and timeline are.
Reports suggested that the Kings “entered the danger zone regarding the uncertain future of their franchise guard.” Just a few days later things became even more bizarre, and the Kings fired head coach Mike Brown after letting him run a practice, which again brought into question Fox’s future. Fox took to social media platform to clear the air and stated he had nothing to do with Brown’s dismissal, and it was reported, even after all of that, he wanted to stay with the only team he had ever known, Sacramento, although speculation remained.
Now, just four days ahead of the trade deadline, Fox has been dealt to the Spurs, his preferred destination, in a blockbuster deal. This deal did not ultimately happen because Fox requested a trade, but rather because of Sacramento’s anxiety and nervousness over potentially losing him for nothing.
The Kings did the right thing Fox by getting him to his top destination, officially closing the book on his time in Sacramento after seven and a half seasons. During Fox’s time in Sacramento, he led the Kings to their first playoff appearance in 17 years during the 2022-23 season, breaking the longest playoff drought not just in the NBA, but across all four major American sports. He ranks in the top 10 in Kings history for points, assists and steals, among other categories.
Fox now joins a young, exciting Spurs team to play alongside French sensation and reigning Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama. Fox immediately bolsters San Antonio’s starting five, who have been searching high and low for someone to pair with Wembanyama. And he will certainly do a better job of getting Wemby the ball in the areas he wants than any of the other guards on the roster, with the exception of 19-year veteran Chris Paul.
Fox’s timeline also fits seamlessly with Wembanyama for this early stage of his career, and what is even better, the Spurs did not have to give up any of their young nucleus or quality draft assets, meaning they can go and get a third star if they want.
The Kings, who are basically now just the Bulls west of the last few years but instead with a more complete big man Domantas Sabonis instead of Nikola Vucevic. Sacramento did acquire three first-round picks, but the 2027 first-rounder from the Spurs is not of much value as they will likely be contenders for a title by then, meaning the pick would land somewhere in the 20s. The Charlotte 2025 pick is of even less value as it is lottery protected this year, and if not conveyed this year it becomes two second-round picks, one in 2026 the other in 2027. The best value pick is the unprotected 2031 first-round pick, which comes from the Minnesota Timberwolves, which has the potential to be a high pick depending on what the Timberwolves look like by then.
Aside from the picks the Kings received, they are getting a scorer in LaVine to pair with Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan. Sacramento is clearly hoping that they will have better luck with the LaVine-DeRozan duo than the Bulls did over the last five seasons.
For the Bulls, they relieve themselves of LaVine’s massive contract after trying unsuccessfully for a year to trade him, which is a big victory in itself. They also get their 2025 pick back from the Spurs that they sent in the deal that got them DeRozan years ago. That is a huge monkey off their back as that was a top-10 protected pick this year and the Bulls have been teetering around that mark all season. Vucevic could be on the move next to close the chapter on what has been another underwhelming and mediocre era in Chicago basketball, something that the fans have been used to since the end of 1998.
