It seems safe to say that the De'Aaron Fox and Sacramento Kings won't make the playoffs after missing it for 16 consecutive years. Next season, though, can be an entirely different story for the franchise. For the first time in a very long time, the kind of talent within their roster appears to be enough to potentially catapult the team to the postseason after the upcoming one. If they make the right moves, especially during the offseason, the NBA's longest playoff drought can possibly come to an end.
In the event that becomes a reality, Fox's rookie cards stand to be the primary beneficiary in the market. We take a look below at some positive signs the Kings' star has exhibited since the trade deadline and the arrival of Domantas Sabonis from the Indiana Pacers.
De'Aaron Fox's quiet leap after the trade deadline
To be clear and fair, the Kings' shortcomings have little to do with how talented Fox actually is. In fact, as early as his third season in the NBA, the point guard posted 21.1 points, 6.8 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. Unfortunately, coaching issues and a poorly-constructed roster by the front office didn't help in maximizing the young star during that time.
Now in his fifth NBA season, Fox's numbers have remained consistently good. In the 58 games he has played so far, the 24-year old is averaging 23.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. While those numbers look good, his best performance that led to a win came around last year when the Kings faced LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
During that contest, Fox exploded for 34 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and a single steal in 52 minutes on the floor. He also posted a true shooting percentage of 51% and effective field goal rate of 50% to help Sacramento get the 141-137 win over the Purple and Gold.
There's no doubt that when it comes to getting buckets, the Kings can clearly count on Fox to deliver. The question remains if the franchise can assemble a team that can maximize his strengths while hiding his weaknesses on the court. As it stands, Sacramento's 109.9 offensive rating is 22nd in the league and their 114.9 defensive rating is 28th out of 30 teams.
This is why the arrival of Domantas Sabonis via a trade with the Indiana Pacers can be the key to unlocking Fox and the Kings. In the 14 games since the All-Star big man arrived, the Kings' point guard has been averaging 29.5 points on 51% shooting from the field and 37% from beyond the arc, while making 4.1 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game. Unfortunately, his team went 5-9 during that 14-game stretch.
De’Aaron Fox last 5 games:
44 PTS | 6 AST | 3 3PT
24 PTS | 7 AST | 1 3PT
32 PTS | 10 AST | 4 3PT
41 PTS | 11 AST | 5 3PT
34 PTS | 6 AST | 3 3PTHe’s averaged 30p/7a on 51/40% shooting in 15 games since the Sabonis trade. pic.twitter.com/yqA16Et8hK
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 15, 2022
Even with Fox taking a quiet leap after the trade deadline and Sabonis playing well too, it won't be enough if there aren't any changes to be made or if the team's chemistry won't improve by next season. Of course, Sacramento can move around some pieces that fit the Fox-Sabonis tandem, which can be the catalyst for their success.
In any case, Fox seems to be benefitting from the former Pacer's arrival. If the right moves are made by next season, collectors could potentially see the point guard break out and take a leap. Until then, it's wise to see how he performs until the regular season ends.
The state of De'Aaron Fox rookie cards
Even with an improvement in his numbers since the trade deadline, Fox's value in the market has been overlooked by most collectors. Take this graph monitoring the sales of his PSA 10 base Prizm rookie card for the last three months.
In this Card Ladder graph, the said De'Aaron Fox rookie card started out at $51 late last year and it's now slightly up to $55. That's a very small growth rate of around 7% over 90 confirmed sales on eBay.
While his base stock isn't hot right now, the same can't be said for Fox's gem-mint Prizm Silvers. In another graph covering the same period, the said graded rookie card's value has gone up from $260 to $375. That's a 44% increase over the course of 22 confirmed sales in the market.
Just like the overall trend of the hobby, base cards are losing steam while the more valuable parallels and short-printed stock are retaining their value. This can be clearly seen in both these De'Aaron Fox rookie cards shown above.
The verdict on De'Aaron Fox cards
Without a doubt, Fox is among the young guards in the NBA who can orchestrate the offense and generate enough offense to get the win. The challenge with his stock is how he's languishing with the Kings ever since his first year in the leag
That's why there are only two possible outcomes that can heavily affect those De'Aaron Fox rookie cards in the market. One, he takes a leap and the Kings improve enough to make the playoffs next season. If this happens, collectors will see Fox more than just a score-first guard, but as a credible leader who can push his team to contention.
If that doesn't happen, expect a trade to occur while Fox is still in contract in Sacramento. Hopefully, he gets traded to a contender, which can then be a catalyst to propel his rookie cards in the market.
Seeing Fox's graded Prizm Silvers go up in the short term is a welcome development. This can be a good time to sell those cards and transfer the money to more promising prospects. On the other hand, buyers are advised to wait until the offseason to buy the Kings' rookie stock as the overall market trend during that time is down. In any case, holding a De'Aaron Fox rookie card or two can come in handy when next season comes along.
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