De’Aaron Fox makes significant decision about his contract

Mar 7, 2022; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) warms up before the game against the New York Knicks at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox has made a significant decision about his contract status.

Fox will not sign a three-year, $165 million max extension this offseason, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. The Kings guard instead prefers to wait until next offseason, when he will be eligible to sign a longer and more lucrative contract extension.

Fox could have signed the three-year deal up until the start of the regular season, but he and agent Rich Paul have decided against it. By waiting until next summer, he will be eligible to sign a four-year, $229 max extension instead. He could also get a five-year, $345 million supermax extension if he is selected to an All-NBA team this season.

Though Fox is deferring on a deal right now, it does not appear to have anything to do with his feelings toward the Kings. He has said both privately and publicly that he wants to remain with Sacramento long-term, and this decision is purely about maximizing the contract that will be available to him.

Fox’s move is essentially the opposite of what another star guard opted to do this offseason, though that was the exception, not the norm.