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The Sacramento Kings are knocking on the door of contention in the Western Conference, but what happens if they don’t advance in the playoffs again this season?
Worse still, what if Sacramento falters during the regular season and begins to feel that it doesn’t have enough to make a serious push in the West?
One would think that such a scenario is doubtful after Sacramento acquired DeMar DeRozan this offseason. Even so, the West is loaded, and one injury to either Domantas Sabonis or De’Aaron Fox could cause the wheels to fall off on the Kings’ season. The margin for error is that thin.
Speaking of Fox, would Sacramento look to move him if any of the above nightmare scenarios manifest? (Outside of an injury to Fox himself, of course).
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons recently suggested that the Kings could trade Fox if things turn south in Sacramento.
“I feel like we can’t lose with the Kings because if it doesn’t go that well, then it just becomes De’Aaron Fox trade machine time,” Simmons said.
Fox is in the fourth year of a five-year, $163 million designated rookie extension. He is set to make $37 million next season before becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026.
He’s definitely a valuable player, having made it to an All-Star team in 2022-23, the same season he finished No. 11 in MVP voting.
But does Fox’s ultimate NBA destiny lie beyond Sacramento? The former No. 5 overall pick has a world of talent but hasn’t won in the playoffs yet. Perhaps a change of scenery and a pairing with another star or stars would change his fortunes for the better.
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