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De'Aaron Fox will forever be a Sacramento Kings legend after helping them end their NBA-record 16-year playoff drought in 2023. However, the San Antonio Spurs' newest star will now gun for championship rings alongside Victor Wembanyama and Gregg Popovich after getting traded on Monday night.
Fox posted an emotional farewell to the Kings on Tuesday, via Instagram.
“I can't quite find the words to express what I want to say, but thank you,” the 2024 NBA steals leader said. “Coming in as a 19-year-old kid and leaving as a 27-year-old man, I'm grateful I got to spend the beginning of my young adulthood here. The love for the city is unmatched.”
“To the fans – y'all deserve the best. I wanted to end my career here and never expected it would end this way, but I'll always be grateful for your support.”
“Thank you for the love you've showed me and my family. Sacramento will always hold a special place in my heart,” he concluded.
This trade came as no surprise since Fox informed the Kings that he wouldn't sign an extension, via Sports Illustrated. The 2023 All-Star also wanted to go to the Spurs specifically to team up with “Wemby,” via NBA.com.
The first sign that Fox was considering moving on was when he declined a three-year, $165 million extension in the offseason. However, Sacramento's shocking firing of head coach Mike Brown in December was the last straw after a disappointing 2023-24 season, via The Athletic's Anthony Slater and Sam Amick.
“The sloppy timing and lack of organizational accountability only grew frustration within Fox that had been building about the instability and general stagnation in Sacramento, league sources confirmed,” they reported. “He’d made it clear in both his refusal to sign an extension this past summer and his transparent public comments to The Athletic and others about his desire to be on a perennial contender that his eyes were wandering.”
While the Kings' 13-18 start to the season wasn't ideal, firing Brown seemed premature to many around the NBA after he helped break their playoff drought just a year and a half prior. It certainly didn't help their case with Fox.
However, all is not lost for Sacramento. The club landed the following return for Fox, Kevin Huerter, and Jordan McLaughlin in the three-team deal with the Spurs and Bulls:
- Zach LaVine
- Sidy Cissoko
- 2025 first-round pick (via Hornets)
- 2027 first-round pick (via Spurs)
- 2031 first-round pick (via Timberwolves)
- 2025 second-round pick (via Nuggets)
- 2028 second-round pick (via Bulls)
- Their own 2028 second-round pick
Lavine is having one of his best seasons, averaging 24 points on 51.1% shooting with 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists across 34.1 minutes per game. The two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion will help keep the Kings in playoff range, while the draft pick bounty will help them build for the future.
