Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox is the latest star to hit the trade market, Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Tuesday, Jan. 28.
Fox is a clutch player and a difference-maker who fits the type of star who could push the Los Angeles Lakers to put all their trade chips on the table.
However, the bad news is that the Lakers are not Fox’s preferred destination, according to Charania.
“One thing I can say, with Rich Paul, we know he’s got LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the Lakers. I’m told the Lakers are not part of that destination of choice for De’Aaron Fox potentially,” Charania reported on “NBA Today.”
Sam Amick of The Athletic also reported the same thing about Fox and his disinterest in the Lakers.
“According to the league source, Paul is expected to field all calls from interested teams and remain open about where Fox might land. Despite Paul’s longtime relationship with Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, league sources say that’s not the destination of choice,” Amick wrote.
Fox is in the fourth year of a five-year, $163 million deal with the Kings. Next summer, Fox will be eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension.
De’Aaron Fox Prefers Lakers’ West Rivals
Multiple reports from Amick, former ESPN senior reporter Zach Lowe and James Ham of ESPN1320 Sacramento all point to the Lakers’ Western Conference rivals San Antonio Spurs as Fox’s preferred landing spot.
The Lakers had a chance to select Fox in the 2017 NBA Draft but they opted for hometown kid Lonzo Ball, the former UCLA star, at No. 2.
Fox eventually fell to the Kings at No. 5 even after he exploded for 39 points against Ball, leading Kentucky over UCLA in their Sweet 16 matchup to advance to the Elite Eight.
Ball was later packaged by the Lakers to acquire Davis while Fox became an All-Star and All-NBA player in 2023. He was also named the NBA Clutch Player of the Year in 2023.
Fox, Other NBA Stars Who Shunned the Lakers
It’s not the first time an NBA star is shunning the Lakers.
In the offseason, Klay Thompson declined to join the Lakers despite James personally recruiting him and even if their offer was greater than what he got from the Dallas Mavericks which disappointed his dad, former Laker Mychal Thompson.
Miami Heat‘s disgruntled star Jimmy Butler also did not list the Lakers as one of his preferred destinations.
James and Davis have publicly voiced the limitation of the Lakers’ current roster despite their current place (fifth in the West) in the standing, putting more pressure on their front office to swing for a significant trade.
James told reporters after a loss to crosstown rivals Clippers earlier in the month that they “don’t have room for error — for much error” as their roster is currently constructed.
Davis then backed him up by telling Charania in a sit-down interview that they are one to two pieces away from becoming a title contender and specifically said he wants a center next to him.
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