NBA trade deadline season has just gone nuclear.
Shams Charania of ESPN reported the bombshell news on Tuesday that the Sacramento Kings are expected to open up trade talks for their star guard De’Aaron Fox before the Feb. 6 deadline. Charania adds that it is believed Fox has a target destination in mind ahead of his free agency in 2026.
Fox, a 27-year-old All-Star in his prime, immediately becomes the top target available before the NBA trade deadline in just over a week. He is averaging 25.2 points and 6.2 assists per game this season and is in Year 4 of a five-year, $163 million contract.
The news of Fox being on the trade block is a bit of a shocker since he is a beloved lifelong King who led the team in 2023 to their first playoff berth in nearly two decades. Sacramento has also righted the ship lately after firing head coach Mike Brown, going 11-4 under interim coach Doug Christie to make their way back into the play-in picture at 24-22.
But there were also signs in recent months that Fox was becoming unhappy in Sacramento. That led to trade rumors in which Fox was linked to several notable teams. With Sacramento having a chance to fetch a premium for Fox while he still has one-and-a-half guaranteed years left under contract, the starting gun has officially sounded, and Fox could be wearing a different uniform in just a matter of days.
