De'Aaron Fox shared his first public comments since it was reported Tuesday that the Kings were open to discussing potentially trading him before the NBA's Feb. 6 deadline.
The Kings star point guard spoke to The Sacramento Bee's Chris Biderman after shootaround Wednesday morning in Philadelphia about the latest developments.
"In this league, I expect the unexpected," Fox told Biderman. “I think crazier things have happened."
Valid. Fox has had a front-row seat to a lot of the "craziness" that has unfolded in Sacramento over his eight-year tenure with the team.
On Tuesday, ESPN's Shams Charania reported, citing sources, that Sacramento is "expected to open up talks to potentially deal" Fox before next Thursday's trade deadline, adding the following morning that the San Antonio Spurs are his preferred destination. Fox later confirmed that to Biderman.
“For sure, I think everybody has a preferred destination,” Fox told Biderman. “I think everybody has a preferred destination if they’re not in the place that — or if they’re not going to be in the place where they are in the moment. I think it’s natural.”
Fox's future with the only NBA franchise he's known grew uncertain after he opted not to sign an extension last offseason. He emphasized his desire to compete at the highest level, something he hasn't consistently experienced during his time in Sacramento.
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It was reported in late December that Fox's agent, Rich Paul, met with Kings general manager Monte McNair and assistant GM Wes Wilcox to discuss the All-Star's future, with an indication that San Antonio already was positioning itself to acquire Fox if he became available on the trade market.
Despite all this, Fox's wife, Recee, maintained on social media that the 27-year-old "has never asked for a trade ... especially while being in the midst of a good run." While speaking to Biderman, Fox himself confirmed that and made it clear that he will be on the court for games and won't sit out as long as he remains a member of the Kings.
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Still has never asked for a trade btw…especially while being in the midst of a good run. That should be clear
— Recee Fox (@Cee_Caldwell) January 29, 2025
“That’s their decision to make. I can’t tell them not to listen to offers or I can’t tell them to listen to offers,” Fox told Biderman. "Every day I step on the court, I do my job. That’s always my thing. I’ve never been a person to worry about anything else or go and do anything else. Every time I step on the court, I try to play the best I can, I try to win games."
Fox also didn't rule out the possibility of him staying with the Kings past the trade deadline and beyond if the Kings make the necessary roster improvements. If. Sacramento has failed to address an area of concern over the past two offseasons in acquiring frontcourt help. The Kings have been tied to players such as Brooklyn Nets forward Cam Johnson and Utah Jazz forward John Collins, but as of Wednesday morning, nothing has come to fruition.
Fox was a participant in Kings shootaround Wednesday morning as the team's six-game road trip continues against the 76ers.
De’Aaron Fox participating at Kings shootaround this morning in Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/xrUFuVpDF2
— Chris Biderman (@ChrisBiderman) January 29, 2025
He broke out of a shooting slump in Sacramento's 110-96 win over the Brooklyn Nets, dropping 30 points on 11-of-19 (57.9 percent) shooting from the field and 4 of 7 (57.1 percent) from 3-point land, with seven assists in 37 minutes. Eighteen of his 30 points came in the third quarter that helped guide the victory.
For now, it's business as usual for Fox and the Kings as their goal to climb atop the Western Conference standings hasn't changed.
“I think anything’s possible in this league. Like I said, crazier things have happened,” Fox told Biderman.