De’Aaron Fox was involved in one of the NBA‘s most surprising trades. After Mike Brown left the Sacramento Kings, the star guard decided to join the San Antonio Spurs. With his new team, Fox is thriving. He continues to showcase his full potential and elite talent. Despite moving forward, he recently revealed the real reasons behind his decision to leave the Sacramento Kings.
The star guard, now with the San Antonio Spurs, made it clear that coaching instability was a major factor in his decision. “I was like, ‘Yo, I’ve been here for going on my eighth year. If Mike gets fired, I’ll be going on my fifth coach…And I told them, ‘I’m not going to play for another coach. I’m going to play for another team,’“ stated Fox as reported by ESPN.
Beyond the coaching situation, De’Aaron Fox revealed deeper tensions within the Kings’ locker room. “During Mike’s extension talks, some guys in the locker room didn’t want Mike…Some guys wanted him to be fired during the summer. … But I’m not going to say [who],” confessed Fox.
Despite the turmoil, he wanted to spend his entire career with the Kings. However, ongoing issues within the organization pushed him to prioritize his professional future.
De’Aaron Fox criticizes Sacramento Kings for lack of protection
In Mike Brown’s final public appearance, he criticized De’Aaron Fox. Shortly after, rumors surfaced claiming Fox had requested the coach’s departure. However, Fox denied those claims and took the opportunity to criticize the club’s management.
“You fire the coach, and you don’t do an interview?…So, all the blame was on me. Did it weigh on me? No. I don’t give a f—. But the fact y’all are supposed to be protecting your player and y’all let that happen. … I felt at the time the organization didn’t have my back.”
De’Aaron Fox denies considering multiple teams before his trade
After reports surfaced about De’Aaron Fox’s desire to leave the Sacramento Kings, speculation grew that he had multiple destinations in mind. However, Fox firmly denied those claims. “There was no f……g list…There was one team. I wanted to go to San Antonio,” stated Fox as reported by ESPN.
Fox also addressed criticism from fans who believed his trade weakened the Kings’ roster: “So, a lot of people are mad at me, saying I handcuffed the team by giving them a destination. Well, this is my career. If anybody else is in my position, you’d do the same thing. It’s not my job to help build your team. I’m not about to just go where they want me to go. I wanted to have a destination,” stated De’Aaron Fox.