The Sacramento Kings could trade De’Aaron Fox today and it might not make a difference to where he eventually ends up, as the San Antonio Spurs are his preferred landing spot. That is, unless the rumors that he has an expanded shortlist are true. However, as players often wind up in unexpected places, it’s worth exploring other possibilities.
As the Brooklyn Nets are rumored to be considering adding the All-Star, starting there might be prudent. With that being said, the Nets were to propose an offer for Fox before Feb. 6, three specific players come to mind.
3 Players Nets Could Include In De’Aaron Fox Trade Package
Cam Thomas
After failing to agree to a contract extension with the Nets last offseason, Cam Thomas will be a restricted free agent this summer. However, as with many players in his position, assessing Thomas’s free market value is a tricky exercise.
On the one hand, he’s proven that he’s among the best scorers in the league when given the green light. Over the past two seasons, the 2021 No. 27 pick has averaged 23.0 points per game on .443-.367-.862. There’s really nothing that can stop him from getting the ball in the net – not angles, distances, or defense.
On the other hand, Thomas was pigeonholed as a second unit spark plug in his first two years because his scoring ability was the only elite area of his game. It’s not that he had never got an assist or stop. Yet, his playmaking and defense were mediocre. As a result, Thomas’s career has essentially been split into two halves. Though he’s trending in the right direction, the jury is out on who and what he is as a player. Thomas being limited to 19 games this season because of a hamstring injury only complicates the evaluation process.
Ultimately, the Nets’ problem is that they really don’t know how much they should pay him this offseason. As a result, he could become expendable, Brooklyn hoping a team that believes in his potential will give them a solid deal. Rather than waiting for a potential sign-and-trade though, they could offer him in a package for Fox.
Would He Start?
Like Malik Monk, Thomas is capable of starting or playing in a sixth man role. This is relevant because, if Fox is traded, Monk may be slotted as the team’s point guard in the first unit. That doesn’t mean that DeMar DeRozan has to slide over as well, manning a backcourt role. The Kings have multiple wings, namely Keon Ellis and Kevin Huerter, who could be their starting 2-guard.
Still, neither Ellis or Huerter is as potent as Thomas offensively. To that point, considering Fox has averaged 25.1 points per game over the past five seasons, the firepower of his replacement wields matters quite a lot.
Ben Simmons
There does seem to be an issue in that neither Thomas, and to a lesser extent Monk, are at their best as the primary facilitator. Fox wasn’t exactly John Stockton. In fact, the reason there was once a debate about whether he or Tyrese Haliburton was the best option at point guard is because he’s not the most heady passer. Nonetheless, he averaged a respectable 6.1 assists per game over the past five seasons.
With that in mind, Sacramento has the option of trading for Thomas and Ben Simmons. For starters, Simmons is making a healthy $40.3 million this season. Thus, he helps the Nets and Kings match salaries.
In addition, though his body hasn’t stayed as sharp as his mind, he’s a high IQ player with excellent court vision and passing instincts. Just as importantly, there isn’t a pass that he can’t make. Frankly, the synergy that he could develop with a playmaking stretch-center in Domantas Sabonis is an exciting prospect.
Because he can guard multiple players at 6-foot-10, he can also fit within multiple lineup configurations. It really doesn’t even matter whether they call him a point guard or not, as that’ll usually be his primary role on offense.
If the Kings don’t want to accept Simmons, though he’s on an expiring contract, there are still other ways they can make the trade work financially. He’s simply the only Nets player who would help fill their void at point guard, specifically. Of course, D’Angelo Russell plays that position as well. However, he’s ineligible to be traded until this offseason.
Cam Johnson
Last but not least, the Kings will likely have an interest in Nets forward Cam Johnson. After all, they were being linked to the marksman before the Nets were considered potential suitors for Fox. In fact, Sacramento has been looking for a starting-caliber forward for a couple of seasons.
After they were able to land DeRozan in a sign-and-trade with the Chicago Bulls, it seemed like they had accomplished their goal. However, the Kings clearly never stopped their search. Indeed, Washington Wizards starter Kyle Kuzma‘s name still pops up in regards to those rumors, in addition to Johnson’s. What Johnson has over Kuzma is that he’s a better three-point shooter, better defender, and doesn’t need to dribble to make his impact felt. His skillset simply meshes with Monk, DeRozan, and Sabonis more than Kuzma’s (and many other players).
Because of Johnson’s body of work, he’s also more reliable than Keegan Murray. Murray, the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, has plenty of potential as a 3-and-D player. Unfortunately for Sacramento, his shooting percentages have plummeted since his rookie season. In a playoff run, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Johnson getting more run than Murray despite the Iowa product being highly valued by the Kings.
Additional Trade Parameters
If Sacramento pushes for his inclusion in the trade, Brooklyn’s package could still include Thomas and Simmons. The Kings would just have to be willing to move Huerter and Trey Lyles, who they’ve long had on the trade block.
If Simmons is removed, the Nets would have to add $3.8 million in salary to make the trade legal. They could accomplish that by including Day’Ron Sharpe, who’s on an expiring $4 million contract.
If the Kings only ask for Thomas and Simmons, which is unlikely, they have to add $5.5 million in salary. They could accomplish this by shipping out some combination of Jordan McLaughlin, Colby Jones, Doug McDermott, and Alex Len. Notably, all four of those players seldom see the floor.
In any package, the Nets would likely have to send out at least two or three first-round picks. That shouldn’t be problematic, as they have three first-rounders in 2025 alone.
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