The trade drama surrounding the Sacramento Kings and their star point guard began a few days ago. The news that the Kings will listen to offers for De’Aaron Fox was first reported a few days ago. And from there, it went on. Fox has officially not demanded a trade. Yet, he has, through his representatives, indicated that he will not sign a long-term extension with the Kings. Without knowing, Fox has altered the future of several NBA players, so let’s check who is affected.
Seven Players Affected by De’Aaron Fox Trade Drama
Before the De’Aaron Fox trade drama began, the whole NBA was looking for the Jimmy Butler domino to fall. He was expected to be the first domino, with some rumors even suggesting the Kings might want to get into the Butler trade sweepstakes. The landscape of the NBA trade market has changed though. Fox might not be a better player than Butler or a bigger name, but he is a younger star point guard entering his prime. Unlike Butler, Fox has at least five to seven years of great basketball in him. An All-Star in 2022-23, he is 27 years old. He probably thinks it is best to spend those years on a contending team. With that in mind, here are some players affected by this move.
Collin Sexton
Collin Sexton is another point guard rumored to be on the trade market. In fact, he might have been the best point guard on the market. However, with Fox’s name in the pool, Sexton will have to wait for his turn. The Utah Jazz might be happy with this development since Fox will set the market for Sexton. He is a year younger than Fox at 26 and is currently averaging 18.6 points. He is a good enough player for teams that might need a playmaker and cannot get Fox. Like Fox, Sexton has one more year left on his contract.
Malcolm Brogdon
Malcolm Brogdon might not be the young point guard that Fox is as he is 32, but he is a steady playmaker who can help a number of contending teams. There were some rumors that Brogdon might go to Houston, as the Rockets need another playmaker to make a deep playoff run. Houston sits atop the De’Aaron Fox trade drama. Because Fox is from the Houston area, the Rockets seem like a logical choice, and he would turn them into a serious contender. Back to Brogdon though, as he has other suitors as well, but at this point, every team that needs a point guard will see whether they can get Fox first.
John Collins
Before the news of the De’Aaron Fox trade drama broke out, there were reports that the Kings would love to trade for John Collins. The team began playing better under head coach Doug Christie, and there were reports coming they might try to bolster their roster.
It remains to be seen if Sacramento is still interested in him, or if Collins will have to wait for another team to express interest in him. The forward is the same age as Fox, and at one point, he was considered a great talent in Atlanta. This year, Collins is posting a career-high 44.6% shooting percentage from behind the arc on 3.3 attempts per game.
Chris Paul
A lot of experts believe Fox will end up on the Spurs. If that were to happen, the Spurs would have to trade Chris Paul, or bench him. There are a few other possible ways to match salaries without trading CP3. Paul probably feels the weight of a possible Fox trade on him.
Cam Johnson
Another player mentioned as a possible trade target for the Kings, Cam Johnson might find himself on the other side of the trade. The Nets have been mentioned as a dark horse candidate for a Fox deal, but that would surely mean Johnson is going the other way. The Nets might be trying to get another player before making a big move for Giannis Antetokounmpo down the road. Fox is definitely a good running mate for the Greek Freak.
Johnson’s name has been on the market for a while as well. But he now moves from the second biggest name on the market (after Butler), to the third one.
DeMar DeRozan
The Kings traded for DeMar DeRozan this summer hoping he will upgrade their roster and help them win more games. But, things haven’t turned out exactly as planned. With the latest news around Fox, DeRozan’s name might end up in trade rumors as well.
According to reports, the Kings are asking for win-now players in any return for Fox. But that might change as we get closer to the deadline. If they decide to pivot and hope to make a quick rebuild in two to three years, DeRozan no longer fits their timeline.
Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler went from the hottest name on the market, to maybe no longer the best player on the market. There is no denying the fact that Fox has more value than Butler right now. There are even rumors that the Miami Heat would love to try and get the Kings point guard. If that happens, Butler might stay in Miami and find ways to rebuild the relationship with the organization. Even if the Heat do not make a move for Fox, Butler will now be the second domino to fall, not the first one.
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