Recently, ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania reported that De’Aaron Fox rejected a three-year, $165 million max contract extension with the Sacramento Kings. Now, Fox has opened up about the reasons behind his decision.
Beyond seeking a potentially more lucrative deal in the 2025 NBA offseason, Fox told The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Anthony Slater that his choice was also influenced by wanting to see if the Kings are truly contenders for a championship before committing long-term.
“For one, I’m in no rush,” Fox said. “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.”
Fox also pointed to his peers who have secured extensions after contending at a high level. “I’m just using people who are in my class [who have signed extensions],” he continued. “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.”
De’Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings smiles during the first half of their preseason game against the Golden State Warriors. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Fox’s desire to stay with the Kings
While he hasn’t signed the extension, Fox emphasized his hope to remain with the Kings for the entirety of his career. “I would love to be here for my entire career, to be on one team, to be in one city, for my entire career,” Fox told Amick and Slater.
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“It’s not unheard of, but it doesn’t happen a lot, so to be in that category would definitely be great,” Fox added. “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.”
However, Fox made it clear that staying with the Kings long-term depends on the team’s future competitiveness. “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,” he continued. “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.”
