The San Antonio Spurs look like they have a leg up on the competition for Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox’s services.
Though Fox has publicly denied making an official request, his assertion that “everybody has a preferred destination” (h/t The Sacramento Bee’s Chris Biderman) strongly suggests that he’s considering leaving Northern California. Even prior to his comments, it was clear that he doesn’t actually have to request a trade to get his point across because his contract expires in 2026. His reluctance to sign a long-term contract extension with the Kings puts them up against the clock.
Whether Fox makes a request or waits for the sands of time to slither to the bottom, Sacramento would have to trade him or risk losing him for nothing.
However, it might not be as simple for the Spurs to acquire Fox as it originally appeared. As late as yesterday, him heading to San Antonio seemed all but inevitable. As a result, if they wanted a jump start on their partnership, they might have gotten away a strong but subtle offer. If the Kings tried to extract too much value, the Spurs could just wait to sign him in free agency.
De’Aaron Fox Has Up To 3 Other Preferred Trade Destinations
There are at least three other team San Antonio has to worry about: the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, and Los Angeles Clippers.
According to Yahoo Sports reporter Vincent Goodwill, San Antonio is “at the top of the list.”
De’Aaron Fox list is led by the Spurs but also includes Houston and Miami (not Portland as I said in video, just misspoke)
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) January 30, 2025
However, he mentions that the Heat and Rockets (not the Portland Trail Blazers) “are in second tiers.”
Houston Rockets
Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix radio host John Gambadoro also says that “Miami’s been mentioned as a place” that Fox could be headed. He then makes note of the fact that the Texas native “does have a house in Houston.”
“Something to keep your eye on if San Antonio ends up with [De’Aaron] Fox. Now, we’ll see where else, because Miami’s been mentioned as a place. And Houston, because he does have a house in Houston. So, it is going to be interesting to see how the Fox thing plays out.” @Gambo987 pic.twitter.com/fhpRckHWbt
— Dru (@dru_star) January 30, 2025
Considering Fox’s net worth, he likely has homes all over the country, if not world. Nonetheless, that information emphasizes his fondness of the Houston area and his home state in general. With the Rockets breaking through to become one of the best teams in the league, the 27-year-old could want to be a part of their future.
If Fox isn’t traded before the deadline, Houston could look at adding him in the offseason. Right now, they’re too intrigued by their current core to make a major move. However, they should have more clarity about their roster needs by the end of the season.
Miami Heat
Last but not least, The Athletic insider Sam Amick says that the Heat and Clippers “are frequently mentioned” with Fox. He even believes that it’s possible Miami’s attempts to trade Jimmy Butler could factor into them acquiring the speedy playmaker.
“The Miami Heat & the Clippers are frequently mentioned with De’Aaron Fox. Now, the Miami thing, that’s kind of interesting. You never know. Does a Fox & Jimmy situation kind of run headlong into one another? Tough to put together, but you have Jimmy & Fox now in play.”@sam_amick pic.twitter.com/pa89W3nWOQ
— Dru (@dru_star) January 30, 2025
With regard to the Heat scenario, there are several factors to consider.
For starters, Fox has experience playing alongside Bam Adebayo, one of their cornerstones. In college, they helped the Kentucky Wildcats make a deep run in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Heat guard Tyler Herro also played for Kentucky, though it was two seasons after Fox and Adebayo left.
This may seem innocuous but it’s that same story that led to Malik Monk joining and re-signing with the Kings. It’s what led the New York Knicks to make a massive offer for Mikal Bridges. Chemistry may not win games by itself but it definitely matters.
Aside from the sentimental nature of his potential acquisition, Fox plays at a position of need. Herro has shown that he can be the team’s primary playmaker but it’s a heavy burden when he’s also the top scorer. Furthermore, he’s still a 2 rather than a 1. So having Fox, one of the best point guards in the league, significantly enhances their backcourt.
Lastly, the Heat have been one of the best run and most successful organizations this millennium. In many ways, they’re the antithesis of the Kings. If Fox wants to play for a franchise with a winning culture, there are few better.
Los Angeles Clippers
Though they’re more like the Kings than Heat historically, the Clippers are an extremely intriguing option.
This season, L.A.’s largely catered their offense to James Harden, so they probably wouldn’t trade for him before the Feb. 6 deadline. However, Harden has a player option on his contract for 2025-26. Even if he doesn’t opt out, the Clippers could look to get younger; both he and Kawhi Leonard are over 33 years old. One of the better teams over the last 15 years, trading for Fox would help them keep their momentum.
The coaching staff could also play a role. Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, popular with players and peers alike, is a former NBA point guard. In 2016, he won a championship as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Clippers lead assistant Jeff Van Gundy was highly successful as the Knicks head coach.
A player with legitimate championship aspirations would have more confidence in them than many other options.
