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SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 30: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors jokes with De’Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Frost Bank Center on March 30, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
The Sacramento Kings have been one of the most depressing teams this season with a 6-20 record. Last season featured a massive move of the Kings trading top player De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs. A three-team deal gave Sacramento Zach LaVine as the biggest piece to replace their most successful star player of the past 20 years.
Fox requested a trade upon making it known he wanted a change and wasn’t going to sign another contract extension. The Spurs was named as the team that Fox wanted to join, and the Kings made it happen by reaching out to San Antonio.
A recent media appearance saw Fox answering a question about his feelings on his former team’s struggles:
“I haven’t stopped smiling since I’ve been here [in San Antonio] … I don’t really have anything to say. The grass is greener on this side.”
Both teams have gone in opposite directions to make it clear that the Spurs and Fox look like the winners. Fox is playing high level basketball as the perfect guard to pair with Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio will play in the NBA Cup finals, while Sacramento is desperately hoping to make a play in seed with many veterans on the roster.
Why Does De’Aaron Fox Hold Animosity?
The Kings had one season of great success locking down a playoff seed in the Fox era. Both Domantas Sabonis and Fox led the franchise to a home court match-up against the Golden State Warriors. The first-round elimination didn’t even feel that morose since the franchise looked like it was on the rise moving forward.
Unfortunately, Sacramento battled for a play in seed after that and failed to continue moving to an upward trajectory. Fox clearly grew unhappy in his final season and felt the franchise was not making the right moves to keep up with a stacked Western Conference.
A trade demand came out of nowhere, but Fox was bold enough to see a perfect situation. The ideal target of San Antonio allowed Fox to be the second-best player behind a young phenom, with many great young players behind them. Fox looks like one of the smartest people in the NBA right now.
De’Aaron Fox Loves Playing Spurs Basketball
One drastic change for Fox in San Antonio sees him having a lot less pressure than his entire Kings time. Sacramento requested more out of Fox to have incredible games every night to have a chance at victories.
The Spurs allow Fox to share responsibilities with other great talents, and they don’t fall apart when he goes to the bench. Most importantly, Fox has developed strong chemistry with Wembanyama and is more than content playing second fiddle to a generational talent.
San Antonio has a great rotation plan of Fox leading role players when Wemby is on the bench to make use of his All-Star talent. Fox’s happiness sees him boasting about the grass being greener on his side than the Kings struggling to figure out their next move in turning the sinking ship around.
Joey Haverford Joey Haverford is a seasoned sports content writer with over 12 years of experience. He has covered the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, and professional wrestling in the sports industry. More about Joey Haverford
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