Fox explains why he didn’t sign new Kings deal, reveals what it’d take originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Earlier this week, it was reported that De’Aaron Fox turned down a three-year Kings contract extension to pursue a more lucrative deal next NBA offseason.
But there are other reasons beyond money as to why the star point guard is playing the waiting game.
It’s about winning.
“For one, I’m in no rush,” Fox told The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Anthony Slater. “For two, I just want to make sure where we’re at, because people have seen the league — like, turnover of a team can happen in the matter of a month or two or six months. I mean, if we were contending for a championship, [it might be different]. Like, obviously, [the Boston Celtics’] Jayson [Tatum] just won a championship or [the Miami Heat’s] Bam [Adebayo], who has been to the finals twice.
“I’m just using people who are in my class [who have signed extensions]. They’ve already kind of been through that, done that. So yeah, they have that security of [having done] that. For me, obviously, we’re continuing to build.”
After being drafted by Sacramento No. 5 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, Fox had to endure five consecutive seasons full of losing and instability.
That changed during the 2022-23 season when the Kings hired Mike Brown as their coach, drafted Keegan Murray, added key pieces such as Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk, and paired Fox and Domantas Sabonis together for a full season.
A 16-season playoff drought was snapped, and history was made. But that success couldn’t be backed during the 2023-24 season, and despite knocking out the Golden State Warriors in the first Play-In game, the New Orleans Pelicans ripped away their hopes of making consecutive playoff appearances.
The goal now isn’t to get to the playoffs, it’s to win once they’re there. Sustained, long-term success.
“I would love to be here for my entire career, to be on one team, to be in one city, for my entire career,” Fox told Amick and Slater. “It’s not unheard of, but it doesn’t happen a lot, so to be in that category would definitely be great. That’s something that’s amazing. You’re able to obviously build your life, your family, your entire career, in one place. That’s everybody’s dream. No one wants to just be bouncing around teams.
“But I want to make sure that we’re in that position to be competing and competing at a high level for a long time, not just fighting for a playoff spot. Obviously, the way that the West is going, we have to continue to get better as players and as a team, as an organization. And, I mean, I’m not saying I’m not staying or that I am staying. But I would love to be here, and I want to make sure that we’re competing at a high level.”
Fox is coming off the best statistical season of his career while making noticeable strides on the defensive end of the floor.
But he never has been a player to care about personal accolades as much as he does about team success. Last season, a frustrating trend followed the Kings as they would beat playoff-contending teams but collapse against lottery-bound teams. It made all the difference in them finishing as the Western Conference’s No. 9 seed as opposed to the No. 6.
Sacramento acquiring six-time NBA All-Star DeMar DeRozan should help with that problem — and the team knows it.
“I feel like these next two years are big,” Sabonis told Amick and Slater. “We all know we’re good. My biggest thing last year was our mentality. Beat the best teams and then lost to the lower seeds the next day. [That] put us in a Play-In situation. Having DeMar here, he’s a vet, he’s not going to let it slide. He’s going to call guys out.”
As the Kings enter the 2024-25 NBA season with a new look and new goals, there also is a new incentive to keep their star point guard around in the long run.
And it all begins next week.
“We don’t want to have our peak season being two years ago and just making the playoffs,” Fox told Amick and Slater. “We want to continue to build on that and just continue to try to change this culture. I think it’s changed already, but you want to build a championship culture, and you have to be able to do those things before you even get to the top. … I definitely feel like we have the talent to [contend]. But now, it’s, ‘Can we execute that plan?’