De'Aaron Fox reveals truth behind decision to bypass $165 million extension
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Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox shared on Friday his reasons for taking a cautious approach to signing a contract extension.
According to Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Fox indicated that he wants to ensure the Kings are structured for future success before making a commitment.
Drafted fifth overall in the 2017 NBA Draft out of Kentucky, Fox is about to begin his eighth NBA season, all of which he has played in Sacramento.
Fox qualifies for a three-year, $165 million maximum extension, yet his agent, Rich Paul, is pursuing an even more lucrative deal for him in the 2025 offseason.
“For one, I’m in no rush. 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," the speedy Kings guard said.
De’Aaron Fox wanting to stay with the Sacramento Kings for his career
Fox elaborated that although staying with the Kings for his entire career and being a consistent contender is his ideal situation, he prefers not to rush into a decision.
“I would love to be here for my entire career, to be on one team, to be in one city, for my entire career. 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," Fox continued.
Following the disappointing end to last season—where they defeated the rival Golden State Warriors in a Play-In game but fell short of securing a second consecutive playoff berth against the New Orleans Pelicans—the Kings which was once-struggling franchise had a productive summer.
"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 stressed.
The former All-Star can enter free agency in 2026, and according to Amick and Slater, exploring free agency is on the table for Fox, particularly if he fails to secure an All-NBA selection, which is necessary for him to qualify for a five-year, $345 million supermax contract.
A stellar career with Sacramento so far, and a bigger season ahead for Fox
In 469 career regular-season games, Fox averages 21.2 points, 6.1 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 three-pointers made, and 1.4 steals, shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 33.4 percent from three-point range.
De’Aaron Fox elevated his game during the 2022-23 season, participating in 73 games after appearing in fewer than 60 games in each of the previous three seasons.
The 26-year old averaged 25.0 points, 6.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 three-pointers made, and 1.1 steals per game, earning his first All-Star selection and a spot on the All-NBA Third Team. He also received the Clutch Player of the Year Award and finished 11th in NBA MVP voting.
Last season, he arguably delivered an even better performance than in 2022-23, achieving career highs of 26.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.9 three-pointers made, and a league-leading 2.0 steals per game across 74 games.
Sacramento took bold steps during the offseason, adding six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan to a core that already features Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, and Malik Monk, among others.
The Kings may face pressure to deliver a strong season in 2024-25. Another year missing the playoffs could lead Fox to explore other options.
The post De’Aaron Fox reveals truth behind decision to bypass $165 million extension appeared first on ClutchPoints.
