Amick: De’Aaron Fox requests trade
- Thread starter Tetsujin
- Start date
Also, the Spurs are in no hurry! As long as I've been watching NBA basketball, they've never been an organization that feels the need to speed up their timeline, take big swings, or make risky bets. If they can acquire Fox without surrendering too much, I'm sure they'd love to pair him with Wembanyama. But Monte shouldn't be doing them any favors. He's going to want all of their picks, and he should hold out until the off-season if a deal doesn't materialize that gets back fair value for Fox.
I'd love for this situation to be resolved quickly and well, but if it can't be resolved quickly, I would prefer it to be resolved well. The Kings earned their Kangz moniker by either moving too fast or moving too slow, by making rash decisions, drafting poorly, signing the wrong guys at the wrong time, and extracting less than value from their traded assets while giving up entirely on others. DeMarcus Cousins was shipped out for Buddy Hield and a first rounder that was eventually traded for the picks that became... Justin Jackson and Harry Giles. Let's not do the same with Fox.
I'd love for this situation to be resolved quickly and well, but if it can't be resolved quickly, I would prefer it to be resolved well. The Kings earned their Kangz moniker by either moving too fast or moving too slow, by making rash decisions, drafting poorly, signing the wrong guys at the wrong time, and extracting less than value from their traded assets while giving up entirely on others. DeMarcus Cousins was shipped out for Buddy Hield and a first rounder that was eventually traded for the picks that became... Justin Jackson and Harry Giles. Let's not do the same with Fox.
Even tho Ive loved Fox, his true leadership and ability to be head of the snake, has always been a bit of a question mark for me.
There was a time (think it was last season?) when expectations were high and we were going through a rough patch.. I wanted to hear from Fox, just to reassure everyone that it was gonna be ok and that it was indeed just a rough patch.... but game after game they would trot out HB, Keon, Domas, Monk to do the post game pressers. Then EVENTUALLY I think Fox come out weeks later and said he went on a mini media ban or some crap.
Always thought it was somewhat weak and not what I wanted to see in a leader of a team trying to get over the hump.
There was a time (think it was last season?) when expectations were high and we were going through a rough patch.. I wanted to hear from Fox, just to reassure everyone that it was gonna be ok and that it was indeed just a rough patch.... but game after game they would trot out HB, Keon, Domas, Monk to do the post game pressers. Then EVENTUALLY I think Fox come out weeks later and said he went on a mini media ban or some crap.
Always thought it was somewhat weak and not what I wanted to see in a leader of a team trying to get over the hump.
So after listening to all the talking heads, reading Amick's tweet, Recee's tweets, understanding the extension situation, etc., I think this is likely what went down...
This story line seems to fit all the narratives we're hearing. If this is in fact what happened, Recee's tweets would be correct. Fox did not request a trade and it was initially Monte who brought the offer to Rich Pau. Rich Paul saying it would be "wise" to trade him sooner if they want to move on from Fox seems more financially motivated (meaning Fox makes more money resigning with the Kings or being moved sooner so he can be extended for more money) and less about Fox actually wanting to be traded away from SAC. Fox has been plenty vocal about liking Sacramento so that fits into this entire narrative as well.
Maybe I'm giving Rich Paul too much credit, but I feel like his message back to Monte is that he needs to either be planning on...
That scenario doesn't seem completely unsalvageable in terms of keeping Fox a King long term, but Monte is in turbulent waters at the moment, and he needs to be very careful navigating this situation.
Having said that, let's pivot to what I enjoy most...trade ideas
If it's a foregone conclusion behind the scenes that Fox needs to be traded at the deadline and that Vivek's goal is to still try and compete today (which I would be shocked if Vivek would be okay with tearing it down at this point), how about this trade idea...
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BKN GETS: Tre Jones, Trey Lyles, Chris Duarte, 2027 ATL/SAS 1st (Least Favorable - Top 6 Protected), & 2029 SAS 1st (Top 6 Protected)
BKN GIVES: Cam Johnson & Day'Ron Sharpe
WHY FOR BKN? The Nets get two 1st round picks for their win now vet in Johnson and don't have to worry about taking on any longer term salary (e.g., Huerter). All of the contracts coming back are expiring which gives them even more cap space to throw around during the 2025 offseason.
PG - Russell / Jones / Melton
SG - Thomas / Johnson / Duarte
SF - Williams / Whitehead / Lewis
PF - Simmons / Wilson / Watford
C - Claxton / Clowney / Lyles
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CHI GETS: Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, Chris Paul, Jeremy Sochan, & Future CHI 1st (Top 10 Protected in '26 & Top 8 Protected in '27/'28; otherwise, 2028 CHI 2nd)
CHI GIVES: Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, Chris Duarte, & Torey Craig
WHY FOR CHI? The Bulls lean into their rebuild by moving on from LaVine and also get out from underneath Williams contract (something they are rumored of wanting to do). In exchange they get their protected CHI 1st returned back (which puts them at ease while they tank) and also add Sochan as a young piece to add to their assets. They could also look to potentially flip guys like Barnes, Huerter, Collins, and/or Paul for some minor assets if any competing teams would be interested in acquiring them for a playoff run. This also sets them up to have substantial cap space during the 2026 offseason since Vucevic, Barnes, Huerter, Collins, Ball, Paul, White, Dosonmu & J. Carter could all be off the books.
PG - White / Ball / Carter / Paul (flipped for an asset)
SG - Dosonmu / Huerter / Terry
SF - Giddey / Barnes / Horton-Tucker
PF - Buzelis / Sochan / Phillips
C - Vucevic / Smith / Collins
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SAS GETS: De'Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan, & Torey Craig
SAS GIVES: Harrison Barnes, Zach Collins, Chris Paul, Tre Jones, Jeremy Sochan, Future CHI 1st (Top 10 Protected in '26 & Top 8 Protected in '27/'28; otherwise, 2028 CHI 2nd), 2025 ATL/SAS 1st (More Favorable), 2027 ATL/SAS 1st (More Favorable), 2027 ATL/SAS 1st (Least Favorable - Top 6 Protected), 2029 SAS 1st (Top 6 Protected), & 2031 SAC Pick Swap
WHY FOR SAS? The Spurs land both Fox and DeRozan while keeping a lot of their coveted young guys (Castle, Vassell, etc.). Fox gives them an excellent 2nd option next to Wemby and DeRozan was loved in San Antonio during his time there. He gives them another shot creator that can help Wemby out.
PG - Fox / Castle
SG - Vassell / Branham / Wesley
SF - Champagnie / Johnson / Cissoko
PF - DeRozan / Craig
C - Wemby / Bassey / Mamu
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SAC GETS: Zach LaVine, Cam Johnson, Patrick Williams, Day'Ron Sharpe, 2025 ATL/SAS 1st (More Favorable), 2027 ATL/SAS 1st (More Favorable), & 2031 SAC Pick Swap
SAC GIVES: De'Aaron Fox, Demar DeRozan, Kevin Huerter, & Trey Lyles
WHY FOR SAC? LaVine has been excellent on the offensive side of the ball and gives us someone who can help replace Fox as a go-to option . In fact, he might be producing at a higher offensive level than Fox currently...
O-VPM: LaVine = 32nd / Fox = 33rd
O-EPM: LaVine = 37th / Fox = 44th
O-DARKO: LaVine = 36th / Fox = 13th
O-LEBRON: LaVine = 56th / Fox = 34th
PTS Per 36 min: LaVine = 25.3 / Fox = 24.4
TS%: LaVine = .637 / Fox = .566
2P%: LaVine = .560 / Fox = .536
3P%: LaVine = .446 / Fox = .324
FT%: LaVine = .797 / Fox = .826
AST Per 36 min: LaVine = 4.8 / Fox = 6.0
AST to TO: LaVine = 1.6 / Fox = 2.1
Johnson & Williams give us much needed size, length, athleticism, defense, and shooting at the wing/forward spot, and Sharpe gives us an upgrade at backup C. We also get two unprotected 1st round picks that have increased lottery odds since we'd be taking the more favorable pick between ATL & SAS, and we also cancel the 2031 Pick Swap in case we need to tear it down later (or if SAS is a perennial contender by then).
After this trade, Sabonis would have excellent shooters all around him (Monk, Ellis, LaVine, Johnson, Murray, Williams). Not to mention that Sabonis is basically leading the league in 3P%. Our floor would be incredibly well spaced allowing guys like Monk, LaVine, Sabonis, etc. to attack the paint. The main issue will likely continue to be defense as a team starting Monk, LaVine, and Sabonis is not going to be super effective stopping folks, but we do have a great collection of defenders to round out the rotation in Ellis, Carter, Johnson, Murray, & Williams. And who knows? If Carter develops enough, perhaps he takes over the starting PG role for Monk down the road which would give us an excellent PG/SG defender next to LaVine in the starting unit.
PG - Monk / Carter / McLaughlin
SG - LaVine / Ellis / Jones
SF - Johnson / McDermott / Crowder
PF - Murray / Williams
C - Sabonis / Sharpe / Len
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- Monte has not been shopping Fox this trade deadline. He was of the mindset that he would keep Fox for the rest of the season and look to upgrade the roster at the deadline (thus making SAC a more attractive location for Fox to resign long term). This is why we've been popping up frequently in Cam Johnson, John Collins, etc. trade talks.
- An undisclosed team called up Monte and made a very attractive offer for Fox, but they wanted assurances that Fox would be open to resigning/extending with them (similar to the Anunoby and Siakam situation).
- Monte reached out to Rich Paul letting him know they have a trade offer for Fox and asking if Fox would be open to resigning/extending with that team
- Rich Paul and/or Fox signal to Monte that they would not be open to resigning/extending with the team that made the offer
- Rich Paul then starts to leak that Monte is actively exploring trades for Fox and that we're open for business so that the teams/locations that Fox would be open to resigning/extending with are aware and can jump in and make offers.
- Rich Paul also mentions that it would be wise for Monte to move Fox now if they do want to move on from him so it makes it easier for Fox to sign an extension with his new team and ultimately make more money
This story line seems to fit all the narratives we're hearing. If this is in fact what happened, Recee's tweets would be correct. Fox did not request a trade and it was initially Monte who brought the offer to Rich Pau. Rich Paul saying it would be "wise" to trade him sooner if they want to move on from Fox seems more financially motivated (meaning Fox makes more money resigning with the Kings or being moved sooner so he can be extended for more money) and less about Fox actually wanting to be traded away from SAC. Fox has been plenty vocal about liking Sacramento so that fits into this entire narrative as well.
Maybe I'm giving Rich Paul too much credit, but I feel like his message back to Monte is that he needs to either be planning on...
- Improving the team at the deadline with the goal of resigning Fox long term which gives Fox the two things he wants (more money and a competitive, winning team)
- Moving Fox quickly so that Fox still get his money with a new team via an extension
That scenario doesn't seem completely unsalvageable in terms of keeping Fox a King long term, but Monte is in turbulent waters at the moment, and he needs to be very careful navigating this situation.
Having said that, let's pivot to what I enjoy most...trade ideas
If it's a foregone conclusion behind the scenes that Fox needs to be traded at the deadline and that Vivek's goal is to still try and compete today (which I would be shocked if Vivek would be okay with tearing it down at this point), how about this trade idea...
------------------------------
BKN GETS: Tre Jones, Trey Lyles, Chris Duarte, 2027 ATL/SAS 1st (Least Favorable - Top 6 Protected), & 2029 SAS 1st (Top 6 Protected)
BKN GIVES: Cam Johnson & Day'Ron Sharpe
WHY FOR BKN? The Nets get two 1st round picks for their win now vet in Johnson and don't have to worry about taking on any longer term salary (e.g., Huerter). All of the contracts coming back are expiring which gives them even more cap space to throw around during the 2025 offseason.
PG - Russell / Jones / Melton
SG - Thomas / Johnson / Duarte
SF - Williams / Whitehead / Lewis
PF - Simmons / Wilson / Watford
C - Claxton / Clowney / Lyles
------------------------------
CHI GETS: Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, Chris Paul, Jeremy Sochan, & Future CHI 1st (Top 10 Protected in '26 & Top 8 Protected in '27/'28; otherwise, 2028 CHI 2nd)
CHI GIVES: Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, Chris Duarte, & Torey Craig
WHY FOR CHI? The Bulls lean into their rebuild by moving on from LaVine and also get out from underneath Williams contract (something they are rumored of wanting to do). In exchange they get their protected CHI 1st returned back (which puts them at ease while they tank) and also add Sochan as a young piece to add to their assets. They could also look to potentially flip guys like Barnes, Huerter, Collins, and/or Paul for some minor assets if any competing teams would be interested in acquiring them for a playoff run. This also sets them up to have substantial cap space during the 2026 offseason since Vucevic, Barnes, Huerter, Collins, Ball, Paul, White, Dosonmu & J. Carter could all be off the books.
PG - White / Ball / Carter / Paul (flipped for an asset)
SG - Dosonmu / Huerter / Terry
SF - Giddey / Barnes / Horton-Tucker
PF - Buzelis / Sochan / Phillips
C - Vucevic / Smith / Collins
------------------------------
SAS GETS: De'Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan, & Torey Craig
SAS GIVES: Harrison Barnes, Zach Collins, Chris Paul, Tre Jones, Jeremy Sochan, Future CHI 1st (Top 10 Protected in '26 & Top 8 Protected in '27/'28; otherwise, 2028 CHI 2nd), 2025 ATL/SAS 1st (More Favorable), 2027 ATL/SAS 1st (More Favorable), 2027 ATL/SAS 1st (Least Favorable - Top 6 Protected), 2029 SAS 1st (Top 6 Protected), & 2031 SAC Pick Swap
WHY FOR SAS? The Spurs land both Fox and DeRozan while keeping a lot of their coveted young guys (Castle, Vassell, etc.). Fox gives them an excellent 2nd option next to Wemby and DeRozan was loved in San Antonio during his time there. He gives them another shot creator that can help Wemby out.
PG - Fox / Castle
SG - Vassell / Branham / Wesley
SF - Champagnie / Johnson / Cissoko
PF - DeRozan / Craig
C - Wemby / Bassey / Mamu
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SAC GETS: Zach LaVine, Cam Johnson, Patrick Williams, Day'Ron Sharpe, 2025 ATL/SAS 1st (More Favorable), 2027 ATL/SAS 1st (More Favorable), & 2031 SAC Pick Swap
SAC GIVES: De'Aaron Fox, Demar DeRozan, Kevin Huerter, & Trey Lyles
WHY FOR SAC? LaVine has been excellent on the offensive side of the ball and gives us someone who can help replace Fox as a go-to option . In fact, he might be producing at a higher offensive level than Fox currently...
O-VPM: LaVine = 32nd / Fox = 33rd
O-EPM: LaVine = 37th / Fox = 44th
O-DARKO: LaVine = 36th / Fox = 13th
O-LEBRON: LaVine = 56th / Fox = 34th
PTS Per 36 min: LaVine = 25.3 / Fox = 24.4
TS%: LaVine = .637 / Fox = .566
2P%: LaVine = .560 / Fox = .536
3P%: LaVine = .446 / Fox = .324
FT%: LaVine = .797 / Fox = .826
AST Per 36 min: LaVine = 4.8 / Fox = 6.0
AST to TO: LaVine = 1.6 / Fox = 2.1
Johnson & Williams give us much needed size, length, athleticism, defense, and shooting at the wing/forward spot, and Sharpe gives us an upgrade at backup C. We also get two unprotected 1st round picks that have increased lottery odds since we'd be taking the more favorable pick between ATL & SAS, and we also cancel the 2031 Pick Swap in case we need to tear it down later (or if SAS is a perennial contender by then).
After this trade, Sabonis would have excellent shooters all around him (Monk, Ellis, LaVine, Johnson, Murray, Williams). Not to mention that Sabonis is basically leading the league in 3P%. Our floor would be incredibly well spaced allowing guys like Monk, LaVine, Sabonis, etc. to attack the paint. The main issue will likely continue to be defense as a team starting Monk, LaVine, and Sabonis is not going to be super effective stopping folks, but we do have a great collection of defenders to round out the rotation in Ellis, Carter, Johnson, Murray, & Williams. And who knows? If Carter develops enough, perhaps he takes over the starting PG role for Monk down the road which would give us an excellent PG/SG defender next to LaVine in the starting unit.
PG - Monk / Carter / McLaughlin
SG - LaVine / Ellis / Jones
SF - Johnson / McDermott / Crowder
PF - Murray / Williams
C - Sabonis / Sharpe / Len
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This has Zach Lavine and draft picks written all over it. All the media members have said the kings are still interested in Lavine. He’s been of the best 30 players in the league this year and he improves our shooting but it still caps our ceiling due to the defense. Plus it still doesn’t allow Keon and Devin to fully maximize their skills.
Sure, but the Spurs control Wemby's contract for the time being, and when they eventually extend him, they'll control it into the foreseeable future. They know where they stand, and Pop won't be handled. He just won't. Since they lost Kawhi, they've been as patient as ever. Their patience is what netted them Wemby in the first place. They are not a franchise that f***s up when they draft cornerstone talent or panics when they're not moving as fast as others believe they should.
I’m not sure how much Pop is running that team any more though and for how long. The man had a stroke and went back to the Spurs facility to visit for the first time yesterday. RC Buford’s not their GM anymore either and the league has changed. With all these agents ready to play ball right now, I don’t know if Pop can afford to play it slow if he’s still playing the game.
If Monte wanted to check with Paul about a possible trade, it means the offer was enticing enough to warrant the call. It's not often that an All Star level player in his prime comes to the trade market. As Shams indicated, Monte is already inundated with calls. Contrary to people who underestimate Fox, he is a valuable draw that can return a good haul for the Kings.
As a GM, I would imagine you'd only notify a player of a trade proposal that includes him if that GM is wanting to do that trade (or at least seriously considering it). And to take that a step further, you're making that player aware of the proposal because you either...
I think it's far more likely that another team made a really attractive offer with the stipulation that Fox would be open to signing an extension. Monte brought the proposal to Fox, and Fox said "No, I wouldn't be interested in extending there. I'm really only interested in extending here in SAC or with SA." Then Rich Paul leaks that the Kings are open to trading Fox and leaks that Fox would be interested in extending with SA (which is likely an indirect message to SA saying "hey you should call up Monte and put an offer on the table for Fox."
Obviously, I could be wrong, but I haven't really seen anything reported that contradicts the story I laid out.
- Have accepted the offer and are notifying Fox that has been traded
- Are gauging if he'd be open to staying with the team making the proposal long term (as the team making the offer may have that as a stipulation in their proposal), and if he is interested in staying with them long term, then the GM pulls the trigger and accepts the trade proposal
I think it's far more likely that another team made a really attractive offer with the stipulation that Fox would be open to signing an extension. Monte brought the proposal to Fox, and Fox said "No, I wouldn't be interested in extending there. I'm really only interested in extending here in SAC or with SA." Then Rich Paul leaks that the Kings are open to trading Fox and leaks that Fox would be interested in extending with SA (which is likely an indirect message to SA saying "hey you should call up Monte and put an offer on the table for Fox."
Obviously, I could be wrong, but I haven't really seen anything reported that contradicts the story I laid out.