Featured Columnist IVDecember 21, 2024
Rocky Widner/NBAE through Getty Pictures
De’Aaron Fox’s agent, Wealthy Paul, reportedly met with Sacramento Kings common supervisor Monte McNair and assistant common supervisor Wes Wilcox earlier than Thursday’s sport towards the Los Angeles Lakers to debate Fox’s “unsure future” in Sacramento, per The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Anthony Slater.
Nevertheless, Fox has not requested a commerce presently, per that report, although “the previous All-Star and his outstanding agent are studying the room in Sacramento earlier than deciding what comes subsequent.”
For Fox—who turned down a three-year, $165 million extension supply in October—the problem is that the Kings have persistently struggled to subject a real contender.
“I need to ensure that we’re ready to attempt to win sooner or later, as a result of that is in the end what I need to do,” he informed Draymond Inexperienced and Baron Davis this week. “For me, it is, are we wanting like we’re persevering with to get higher 12 months after 12 months? And, are we going to have the ability to compete at a excessive stage?”
The Kings are at the moment simply 13-15 on the season, twelfth within the Western Convention, and missed the playoffs final 12 months after being eradicated within the Play-In Match. The younger core of Fox, Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray is undoubtedly gifted. Nonetheless, there are starting to be questions on whether or not the present group’s upside is capped, particularly for the reason that offseason acquisition of DeMar DeRozan hasn’t led to extra wins, no less than up to now.
And if Fox does in the end determine that the Kings cannot present the title ceiling he is searching for, Sacramento should contemplate buying and selling him to keep away from shedding him for nothing in free company after the 2025-26 season.
As Amick and Slater famous, “rival executives are monitoring the Fox state of affairs carefully and league sources say one workforce particularly—the San Antonio Spurs—is positioning itself to pursue the Houston native as a potential accomplice for Victor Wembanyama, ought to Fox turn into out there. Barring a big Kings turnaround, others are certainly shut behind.”
So the Kings, barring a serious turnaround, virtually assuredly might want to make some modifications across the roster forward of February’s commerce deadline. If they cannot flip this season round, Fox’s future might in the end relaxation elsewhere.
