Last night was a full-circle moment for the Sacramento Kings' organization in more ways than one. Yes, it marked the end of De'Aaron Fox's tenure in Northern California – one that spanned eight seasons and over 500 career games.
However, it also marked the end of a seven-year journey. In the 2018 offseason, the Kings signed Zach LaVine to an offer sheet that was four years in length and worth 78 million dollars. Alas, since LaVine was an unrestricted free agent, the Chicago Bulls were able to match the offer and keep the athletic slasher.
Since then, LaVine has blossomed into a two-time All-Star and one of the most explosive scorers in the association – successfully blending scoring volume with pristine efficiency (when healthy). LaVine eventually completed that deal and went on to sign a 5-year, 215-million-dollar extension with the team in 2023.
During this time, the Kings' interest in LaVine never waned. As recently as last summer, they were rumored to be in the mix for LaVine when the Bulls were actively trying to trade the soon-to-be 30-year-old. But after executing a sign-and-trade for his teammate in Chicago, DeMar DeRozan, they temporarily took their name out of the running.
The De'Aaron Fox situation represented a chance to re-invigorate their interest. After last week's report came out, the Kings knew they had to move Fox, but they weren't prepared to undertake in a full-scale rebuild. The Kings wanted to add resources for the future while also staying competitive in the short term.
As someone who is in the midst of a bounce-back campaign, LaVine represented the perfect option. He is just as good (if not better) of an offensive player as Fox. However, he may be a better fit on this roster as his 3-point prowess (44.6% on the season) helps to bolster a team that is in desperate need of shooting/spacing (20th in 3-point attempts per game).
On top of that, LaVine's salary (a 43 million dollar cap hit in 2024-25) was just high enough for the Kings to trade Fox and off-load Kevin Huerter (who just hasn't been the same since the 2023 Playoffs). Along with Lavine, the Kings also netted three first round picks (one of which will likely convey into two seconds) and three second round picks.
The end of the Fox era may now be here, but so is the conclusion of a seven year courtship for LaVine.