The Sacramento Kings never planned on trading De’Aaron Fox. Even after meeting with Fox’s agent, Rich Paul, and discussing the future of the franchise, one that no longer involved head coach Mike Brown, the idea of trading the 27-year-old guard wasn’t on general manager Monte McNair’s agenda. Owner Vivek Ranadive never wanted to see Fox leave this season either.
Ultimately, the Fox situation spiraled out of control for various reasons that go back to when the Kings lost to the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in tournament last season. The idea of moving on from Brown as the head coach one year after he led the Kings to their best season over the last two decades began to grow in the minds of everyone except Fox.
While he never requested a trade, Fox made it clear that he did not want to play for any coach in Sacramento other than Brown, who was fired on Dec. 27 while the team held a 13-18 record. This action by the Kings set an eventual Fox trade into motion.
Between declining multiple contract extensions, Fox’s public comments on the team, and private conversations with him behind the scenes, McNair, Ranadive, and the Kings ultimately decided to move on from the face of their franchise, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN. When the Kings went to inform Fox of their intentions to trade him, he wasn’t caught off guard because this was something he already knew.
“We’re sitting there trying to have the conversation, but I know what he’s about to tell me because Rich had already told me,” Fox told ESPN. “A reporter calls trying to break the story, but mind you, our GM hasn’t told me yet. So, it had already been told, even before I was told by our team.”
Tensions had been running high between Sacramento and Fox since the two sides made no ground on extension talks before the 2024-25 season. When the Kings finally concluded in January that they were going to be willing to hear offers for Fox before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, the star and his agent made it clear that he wanted to go to the San Antonio Spurs to play alongside Victor Wembanyama.
As a result, the two sides spoke at length about a possible deal before a blockbuster three-team trade, that also involved the Chicago Bulls, presented itself.
Fox will now return to Sacramento on Friday night for his first matchup against the Kings since this trade. Although there may be mixed receptions among fans in attendance for this game, the organization still values their former star for all that he accomplished during the early portion of his career.
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