Kings guard De’Aaron Fox could reportedly join Jimmy Butler, Brandon Ingram and Zach LaVine among All-Stars available in trades ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline.
Last week, Fox’s agent, Rich Paul, met with the Kings to discuss his future with the organization — signaling a potential end to an eight-year partnership between the guard and the franchise.
Based on those reports, we rank Fox’s three best landing spots, considering his basketball fit and whether the new team can contend with him in the playoffs.
No. 3: Los Angeles Lakers
The obvious Klutch Sports connection notwithstanding, Fox would fill a void for the Lakers — a dribble-penetrator who can break down defenses with his first step. The Lakers rank No. 29 in the league in drives per game due to D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves’ inability to blow past defenders. Fox — who ranks fifth in the league with 16.9 drives per game — would instantly give the Lakers’ offense a jolt and relieve the aging LeBron James of ball-handling duties. Furthermore, the two-man game between Fox and Anthony Davis could be electric if the court is well-spaced and surrounded by shooters.
No. 2: San Antonio Spurs
Some would argue Fox’s addition could stomp the growth of first-year guard Stephon Castle, who is currently on the leaderboard to win Rookie of the Year. However, there’s no reason to believe Castle and Fox can’t share a backcourt in the long run, especially with veteran Chris Paul being more receptive to a bench role. Furthermore, Fox brings a different skill set with his ability to push the tempo and dribble-penetrate. Also, could you imagine his pick-and-roll pairing with Victor Wembanyama? Interestingly, San Antonio is said to be ‘positioning itself’ to pursue Fox, per The Athletic.
No. 1: Orlando Magic
Magic GM Anthony Parker has done a tremendous job in recent years in acquiring talented youngsters. The only flaw in the roster is the lack of an aggressive guard who can get his own shot. While Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black are defensive-minded guards, Cole Anthony doesn’t have the skill set to get a bucket when called upon. These holes were visible in last year’s playoff series loss to the Cavaliers when Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner were asked to do too much. The addition of Fox would give the Magic a legitimate Big 3 and the firepower to threaten the Celtics, Knicks and Cavaliers.
The rumors of a Fox-Kings split first surfaced after the guard declined a three-year, $165 million extension before the season. Since then, it has felt like the Kings are on borrowed time with Fox, and their awful start (13-17) to the season has fast-tracked those concerns.
