The De’Aaron Fox era in Sacramento has come to an end, but the Kings are getting another star guard in return.
The Kings are trading Fox to the San Antonio Spurs while acquiring guard Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls as part of a three-team deal, according to multiple reports. ESPN was the first to report the deal Sunday.
Sacramento will also receive three first-round picks from San Antonio (Hornets’ 2025 first-round pick, top 14 protected, Spurs’ 2027 first-round pick; Timberwolves 2031 first-round pick) in addition to three second-round picks (Bulls’ 2025 second-round pick; Nuggets’ 2028 second-round pick; own 2028 second-round pick back) and Spurs wing Sidy Cissoko, according to ESPN.
[Related: Grades for all the top trades before the NBA’s Feb. 6 deadline]
The Bulls will receive forward Zach Collins, guard Tre Jones and the full rights to their 2025 first-round pick back from the Spurs plus guard Kevin Huerter from the Kings. The Spurs will also acquire guard Jordan McLaughlin from the Kings.
Fox, 27, signed a five-year, $163 million designated rookie contract extension with Sacramento in 2021 and still has one year left on his contract, but the Kings decided to move on from Fox after it became clear he wasn’t going to sign another contract extension.
Fox now joins a Spurs team headlined by first-time All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year favorite Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs currently sit 12th in the Western Conference standings at 21-25, but Fox could help them make a late playoff push this year. They’re two games out of the final play-in spot as of Sunday evening.
The Kings selected Fox with the No. 5 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. In eight years with the Kings, Fox was voted an All-Star once and was named to the All-NBA Third Team for the 2022-23 season.
Fox averaged 21.5 points, 6.2 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in 499 games with the Kings. He ended the 2023-24 season with the most steals in the league.
LaVine will help offset the loss of Fox for the Kings. He’s in the midst of a resurgent season, averaging 24 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
The two-time All-Star has been rumored to be on the trade block for multiple years as he’s in the third year of a five-year, $215 million contract. The move will also reunite LaVine with former Bulls teammate DeMar DeRozan in Sacramento, where the duo hope to bring the Kings back to the playoffs. They sit in 10th place at 24-24 as of Sunday.
As for the Bulls, the trade marks a clear sign of the start of a rebuild. Chicago has been in the midst of another middling season, but has recently tailed off, falling to 21-29. It still sits in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings, but the trade likely puts it in place to land the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which is widely expected to be Duke star Cooper Flagg.
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De’Aaron Fox
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