Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – The Sacramento Kings are finalizing a deal to send All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox to Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs as part of a multi-team NBA trade, ESPN reported on Sunday. The deal will see Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine go to the Kings.
The Kings had reportedly opened up trade talks for Fox last week after it became clear that the 27-year-old, who has one more year on his contract, wasn’t committed to staying long term in Sacramento. The Spurs emerged as a preferred destination, and the move will unite Fox with French star Wembanyama, who is averaging 24.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and a remarkable 4.0 blocks per game.
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The Spurs added veterans to the young core led by Wembanyama this season, and the addition of Fox could enhance a late-season push as well as provide a building block for the next several seasons. Fox is in his eighth season in the NBA, all with Sacramento. He slogged through five losing seasons with the Kings before they reached the playoffs in 2022-23, ending the longest post-season drought in NBA history after failing to make it for 16 seasons. But the Kings failed to make it out of the play-in last season, and after a slow start this season, coach Mike Brown was fired in December.
This season, Fox is averaging a team-high 25.0 points per game and is second on the team in assists and third in rebounds. In addition to receiving LaVine from the Bulls, the Kings will get French 20-year-old Sidy Cissoko from San Antonio. The deal will also send Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, and Tre Jones to the Bulls and Jordan McLaughlin to the Spurs, according to The Athletic.
LaVine, a two-time All-Star, is enjoying a productive season averaging 24.0 points per game while shooting 51.1 percent from the field. Cissoko, 20, was the 44th overall pick in the 2023 draft by the Spurs and has appeared in just 29 NBA games.
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