The Sacramento Kings are at the start of another questionable season. The Kings last made the playoffs in 2006 and last made it through the first round in 2004. It is sometimes difficult to express the mixture of emotions Kings fans must be going through, from utter disappointment in terms of how the team is run to anger at seeing this happening for almost two decades. The franchise is synonymous with uncertainty, dysfunction, and they are generally seen as a laughingstock of the NBA. All of this is detrimental to some real All-Star-level talent they have on the roster, and one of these talents is the focus here: De'Aaron Fox.
The Kings just gave Fox a maximum extension just about a year ago, so it would seem as if he's a legitimate cornerstone of the franchise. But given what has happened over the last year and with Sacramento still spinning its wheels, here are a few reasons why the front office should trade the star point guard.
Firstly, they have made a complete mess of their backcourt rotation. After the 2017 trade of DeMarcus Cousins landed them Buddy Hield, they have done everything in their power to halt his progress. A result of that effort is that, now, they have four guards who are either starting-caliber or will be in the future. All four guards have tons of potential, and they are all being wasted in this current Kings setup. Fox is collateral damage in the rampage the Kings' front office is doing to their roster.
While Fox is in a good position in the Kings in terms of playing time and the trust of coach Luke Walton, the Kings are not clear about the future, and that includes Walton. If they were, they would not select Davion Mitchell with the ninth selection in the 2021 NBA Draft. Both of the guards are of similar stature, and it is clear that they cannot coexist. Both are explosive guards with a questionable shot and both are somewhat undersized for their position. Thus, playing both of them at the same time is not optimal, not in the modern NBA.
The only conclusion from all of this is that the Kings can extract value from Fox they cannot yet get from Mitchell. By trading Fox now, as a team, the Kings could yield some great pieces who would give them a chance to at least put up a fight for the postseason in the next few seasons. In addition to the Ben Simmons rumors, one name that comes to mind is Christian Wood from the Houston Rockets. The trade would be a win-win for both, with Sacramento obviously asking for more in return for the young point guard. The Rockets would get a great backcourt mate for Jalen Green, while the Kings could move on from Fox and build upon Hield (though he's also a trade candidate), Mitchell, Wood, and Tyrese Haliburton.
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Secondly, the De'Aaron Fox angle is also very important here. While he has reportedly said that he does not want to be traded, it's not difficult to argue that his game can only progress better away from the Kings. Fox is a competitor, which is visible when he is on the court. He dives for every loose ball and tries his absolute hardest to win every single point for his team. A part of being a competitor is wanting to change the course of his team, rather than asking for a trade or leaving outright, which is something everyone can respect.
However, Fox needs to keep his career in mind. Simply said, the best way to fulfill your potential is to be put in a position to do so. In Sacramento, it seems like the Kings have done the exact opposite. While the angle of competitiveness and the desire of Fox to be the one that turns around the Kings is obvious, some things are simply not possible. It is definitely not the fault of Fox that the Kings are a dysfunctional mess that cannot get their affairs in order. It is doubtful whether any Kings fan would blame Fox if he wanted out.
For the sake of his legacy and his career, Fox simply needs a change of scenery. He can definitely be proud of what he, personally, has achieved in a Kings uniform. While it has not resulted in any postseason appearances or All-Star berths, the star guard can still say that he has done his best. However, the best is sometimes not enough, and this is a clear example. It just seems that Fox and anyone trying to improve the Kings are fighting a losing battle.
Thus, the conclusion of the whole Fox-Kings story is said best in two words: cutting losses. The Kings have leverage and have clear holes on their roster that can be filled in the trade market. Fox has five years of giving his best to improve this lowly franchise, without much success. While not ideal for both in a vacuum, in the current situation as is, a De'Aaron Fox trade is best for both sides.
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