It’s been seven months since the De’Aaron Fox trade, and the reactions remain as divided as ever. Fans and media alike criticized the Kings for what many deemed an “underwhelming return.” The backlash stemmed partly from the Kings’ refusal to take their medicine by embracing a rebuild moving forward. Instead of taking a step back and starting over, they opted to secure Zach LaVine as part of the deal.
LaVine, long the apple of Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé’s eye, had been on the trade block since the moment he signed his five-year deal back in the summer of 2022. LaVine quietly put together an impressive season last year, appearing in 74 games and averaging 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists while shooting an efficient 51% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc.
The Kings’ decision to acquire Zach LaVine forced the deal to morph into a three-team trade involving Chicago and San Antonio, rather than working directly with the Spurs. (Fun fact: San Antonio held the rights to the Bulls’ pick from the OG DeMar DeRozan trade back in 2021. Honestly, do these three teams just have each other on speed dial for trades?)
Now, here’s where it gets interesting: if the Kings had kept it as a two-team deal, they could have hypothetically included Chicago’s first-round pick, along with salary fillers like Zach Collins and Tre Jones—players who could have addressed some glaring roster needs both last season and this year.
Which brings us to the big “what if”: what if the Kings had stuck with the two-team trade? They would’ve landed Chicago’s protected first-round pick, which ultimately conveyed as the 12th overall selection in this year’s draft. That pick turned into Noa Essengue. And with a competent front office (I know, big “if”), they might have even flipped that pick for Atlanta’s infamous No. 13 trade package, where the Pelicans paid a premium to move back 10 spots for an unprotected first-rounder in next year’s draft.
But alas, these are just “what-ifs”—and quite the rabbit hole at that. Stick with me, though!
For now, the Kings are tied to LaVine and his hefty contract. But it isn’t all about LaVine when it comes to this deal. The deal included two draft picks that could end up being more valuable than some may think given the circumstances.
The Timberwolves’ 2031 Unprotected First-Round Pick
The Kings landed an unprotected 2031 first-round pick from Minnesota in the deal. At the time of the trade, many criticized the Kings for not securing one of Atlanta’s unprotected picks, but given the Timberwolves’ and Hawks’ current trajectories, this pick could prove to be even more valuable.
Minnesota finds itself in a precarious situation. Their future draft picks in 2026, 2027, 2029, 2030, and 2031 are entangled in various conditions and restrictions. On top of that, the team is projected to remain in salary cap hell for the next three seasons, severely limiting their ability to improve through free agency or trades.
The biggest question mark is Anthony Edwards. While the Timberwolves have been competitive during his young tenure, they’ve already exhausted a ton of the resources to build their current roster. Without a major leap from one of their young players, their ceiling appears limited. Rob Dillingham, expected to be the point guard of the future, has yet to live up to expectations, averaging just 4.5 points in 49 games during his rookie campaign.
The Timberwolves’ backcourt depth also took a hit with Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s departure to Atlanta. In terms of youth, Terrence Shannon at the wing and center Joan Beringer have shown some promise. If both Shannon and Beringer develop, they MIGHT help offset the loss of Alexander-Walker and serve as long-term replacements for the team’s aging stars. But that is no given.
Speaking of aging stars, Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley are both past their primes, with Gobert’s production over the last three seasons in Minnesota not being as good as what it was in Utah. When two of your five starters are on the wrong side of the age curve and your team lacks proven young talent or draft assets, the long-term outlook becomes increasingly bleak.
By 2031, Ant Man may no longer be under contract with the Timberwolves. Given the history of star players leaving small-market teams for bigger opportunities, it wouldn’t be shocking if he followed suit. Six years is a looooonnng time in the NBA, and the odds of this pick turning into a lottery selection seem higher to me than most.
The Spurs’ 2027 First-Round Pick
The Spurs’ 2027 first-round pick is the other asset from the Fox trade. If the Spurs pick in 2027 falls in the 1-16 range, the Kings will get it. If it falls in the 17-30 range, the Oklahoma City Thunder will get it. So, the Kings need the Spurs to underperform in that season, which may sound unlikely given the hype San Antonio gets lately, but let’s take a closer look at it.
San Antonio’s outlook is a mixed bag. On one hand, they have Victor Wembanyama, arguably the league’s most electrifying prospect. On the other hand, Wemby’s health has been a concern, as he was sidelined for the remainder of last season due to a deep vein thrombosis—a blood clot in his right shoulder. Looking at the bigger picture, the Spurs have struggled during Wemby’s tenure, posting a disappointing 56-108 record over the past two seasons. Add to that a six-year playoff drought and counting, and it’s clear the franchise has been in a prolonged rebuild. While Vegas projects them to win 43.5 games this season, that would likely place them in the play-in tournament—a scenario Kings fans know all too well. It’s also worth mentioning that Vegas and others missed the mark last season, overestimating the Spurs with a 35.5-win projection.
Then there’s the actual De’Aaron Fox component — my man didn’t exactly set the world on fire during his 17 games with the team, averaging just under 20 points per game on 27% shooting from three. While Fox is undoubtedly an upgrade over Tre Jones and Chris Paul, his fit alongside a front court lacking spacing—featuring Jeremy Sochan, rookie Carter Bryant, and Luke Kornet—raises questions. The Spurs also face a logjam at guard with reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and 2025 second overall pick Dylan Harper.
The Spurs have talent, but their roster is in need of reshaping. With the 2027 draft just two years away, the Kings’ chances of securing a good pick depend on San Antonio’s ability to overcome injuries, adjust under a new full-time head coach stepping into the immense shadow of Gregg Popovich, develop their young talent, all while navigating the brutal Western Conference.
That is no given.
Trade Rumors and Future Implications
Enter the Jonathan Kuminga saga and reports indicating the Kings have floated an offer of Malik Monk, some salary fillers, and a protected 2030 first-round pick for Kuminga. However, the Warriors are rumored to be holding out for reduced protections.
Personally, I’m open to rolling the dice on Kuminga at that price—but I can’t help but worry the Kings might cave to the Warriors’ demands. There’s a chance they not only agree to loosen the protections but also throw in either or both the Spurs’ 2027 pick and the Timberwolves’ 2031 pick.
If it’s not obvious by now, I think both picks hold significant upside. That said, the Timberwolves pick, being so far out, combined with their aging roster and limited draft capital, feels like it has the potential to be a real gem.
Of course, only time will tell if these picks turn into duds or studs. But for now, I’m happy to sprinkle a little optimism into the summer doldrums—especially when the current roster and upcoming season don’t exactly scream “high upside.”
My 100% uneducated, butt-pulled guess is that the Minny pick winds up being tepid. Even if Ant wants out, the Wolves will get a haul for him in return. You have to wish for a lot to go wrong in Minnesota for that pick to be juicy.
Barring injury to Wemby, the Spurs pick either goes to OKC or it is a double digit lottery pick. For all the talk about the Spurs having too much of a good thing in Fox, Castle and Harper, Castle’s versatility allows for all three of them to be on the floor together, Fox’s presence gives Harper a chance to develop reasonably and without added pressure, and Fox is the 4th quarter closer that young Wemby needed. Fox is made to order for where the Spurs are right now. And their asset cabinet is pretty full, and their roster is stocked with young role players. Reasonably parsed (and again, barring injury to Wemby), I think it’s more likely that the Spurs are winning 50+ games and playing deep into the playoffs than it is that the Kings get a juicy pick from them.
Horrible trade. It will go down in the annals of Kings history as being one of the worst, right up there with the Derek Smith trade, the Kevin Martin trade and the Isaiah Thomas “trade.” (I don’t list the two days after Cousins trade, because the yield of Hield and the 2017 10 pick could have actually yielded a great return in the hands of a competent front office.)
I still think that Minny pick could be valuable. As Zach pointed out, 6 years is an eternity in the NBA. Could Minny continue to build around Ant and make the Wolves a continuous contender? Sure, but I have my doubts, especially not knowing the spending habits of their new ownership.
I’d wager Ant moves on to a major market before the pick conveys. Could Minny get a haul for him? Oh hell yeah, but it could also be the kind of haul Brooklyn and OKC got when they sold their stars, which is a bunch of future compensation. By 2031 Minny could be in full rebuild or re-tooling, which may make the pick valuable.
At this point, it’s a total crap shoot, which is why I hope the Kings hang onto that pick for a while.
I am not sure if Ant will become any better – I see a bit of Buddy Hield in him (bonehead plays). The better he becomes, the more likely he is moved; probably for a haul, but that won’t instantly translate into lots of winning.
Have to agree, it was a terrible trade in the moment, and seven months later remains as such. It wreaks of Vivek wanted Lavine and that’s who MM had to center the trade around.
This is why I can’t buy in to the Perry regime, it’s likely still Vivek calling the shots.
Silver-lining: Kings are not paying Fox $60M/year to be (best case) their 1b.
And what are they spending that money on? I’d rather have Fox at $60m than LaVine at $50m. I’d rather have Fox at $60m than $60m of cap space wasted on two middling players. Put another way, I’d rather have Fox than any of the non-lightning-in-a-bottle alternatives. Apparently, San Antonio felt this way, too.
But yay for “flexibility,” as it has served us so well in the past.
I’m kind of on the fence when it comes to Fox for $60M vs. LaVine for $50M. For all of LaVine’s faults he is an efficient offensive machine that makes Fox’s offense look pedestrian. Sure, Fox is the better defender but that gap isn’t as wide as their offensive gap. I’d say LaVine is better at SG than Fox is at PG. Personally, I have them on the same tier talent wise.
I view the trade for each player as a lateral move in talent, but the problem for the Kings is it left them in a lurch in terms of fit and position. With no primary ball handler and a bunch of scoring guards, it’s just piss poor roster building that has now forced them to overpay for an average Schröder. So goes the ripple effects of a bad trade.
Roster and payroll management. Fox/DeRozan or Monk or Ellis, or Schroder/LaVine? For me, it’s not even close. The Kings, in my opinion, are worse than they were before the Fox trade, still capped, and the asset cabinet is (imho) underwhelming.
Bold prediction: Fox has a better year than the Kings next season, and provides a better return on investment. And yes, his new contract does not kick in for another year, which only exacerbates how truly bad the trade was. What was the hurry? Answer: Vivek’s Zach LaVine man crush. What a way to run an organization.
They are definitely worse and it’s thanks to the butterfly effect of the Fox trade. Moving him when they did forced Monk into the PG position, proved they need a real lead ballhandler and likely upset Sabonis, which caused an overpay for Schröder, that required them to move JV’s contract. It’s just been a snowballing shit sandwich.
You are correct in asking what the hurry was. Had they waited until the offseason I have to think the trade to the Spurs never happens thanks to then landing the #2 pick and Dylan Harper. LaVine wouldn’t be here, Fox may still be a King, and the team doesn’t overpay for Schröder at the expense of JV.
Even if Fox still wanted out, The Kings would have had the draft and free agency to address any Fox trade and we would likely be looking at a very different team than the mismatched roster we have today.
This is the crux of the matter. I wanted Fox traded for quite some time, but not for a return like that. The FO could have waited for the offseason and likely gotten a better return.
Doesn’t “Silver lining” mean finding a little good in a bad situation, and not that a bad situation *is* a good situation? But if you want to dig into it, SAS will be paying Fox ca $60 M p.a.a few years longer than SAC will be paying Lavine.
And with NBA inflation $60m won’t be $60m by the time they’re paying Fox $60m. It certainly won’t be the pearl clutching albatross that some seem to fear.
NBA inflation affects all contracts; SAS also get Rich Paul in the deal 😉
That’s the best silver lining i can find in all of this. But then we have to remember they’ll probably extend Lavine for some crazy number. It’s always lose-lose in the end for the kangz.
That would be the classic!
Monte Mcdonothing touted this as 3 first round picks but the Charlotte FRP was really 2 seconds.
Bad trade and one first rounder already used on Clifford
I’m with you….didn’t and still don’t like the return. The Minny pick is 50/50, could be top 5-10 range but it is more than half a decade away.
The Spurs pick won’t be good, can’t kid ourselves. Spurs will be at least a top 5-10 team 26-27, unless something crazy happens like Wemby, Fox & Vassell get significant injuries and miss half the season, or most of the season.
“Competent Front Office” LOL. We definitely don’t have that. Not even close. Is Vivek still running the show? Then the front office is incompetent.
Even if Vivek wasn’t running the show, this front office still hasn’t shown itself to be remotely competent. Their first piece of business was to immediately re-sign Christie.
Yup, not seeing much competence from our new GM so far. If you’re a really of fan of Schroder, your mileage may vary and you are probably German. Herzlich willkomen zu STR, mein Freund.
(Before people start pointing at his two draft picks, let’s see them play a season of actual games before using them as valid data points, please.)
Why would Sacramento remove protections on the 2030 pick, then add on either or both of Spurs ’27 and Wolves ’31?
When referring to Kings basketball. I’m generally hesitant to use phrasing along the lines of “no one is stupid enough to make a deal like that.*” I just can’t see any circumstance where Sacramento throws three first-rounders at Golden State for Jonathan Kuminga, and I’m in the Let’s Get Kuminga camp.
*Vlade Divac excepted. obviously.
I think there needs to be some clarity on the 2027 Spurs pick. I’ve seen it different in a few places and see two possible scenarios, but am not sure which is correct.
is it…
1) the Spurs pick conveys if it lands 1-16, and yes OKC gets it if 17-30, but…the Kings then get then get the pick anyway at the expense of 2 second rounders to OKC. All this convoluted mess means the Kings do in fact get a free and clear pick in 2027. My guess, if Wemby stays healthy, it’s going to end up costing the Kings 2 second rounds to get the Spurs pick 17-30.
or is it…
2) The Spurs pick conveys if it lands 1-16 and yes OKC gets it if 17-30. If the pick does convey to the Kings (1-16) then the Kings must give OKC 2 second rounders as compensation. That means the Kings still have to give up assets to get the Spurs pick!
or worst case…
3) The Spurs pick conveys if it lands 1-16. If it lands 17-30 the Thunder get it and the Kings pound sand with nothing coming to them, which nearly solidifies this as the worst trade in Sac history resulting in nothing but LaVine and Minny’s 2031 pick.
Does that make sense, or am I totally wrong on the parameters of this pick?
But we already got Nique for giving OKC the pick is it’s 17-30. So there’s no way we come away empty handed.
Okay I see that somebody already said this same thing below.
For this organization everything has upside.
Question: If an owner never pays out a max contract (the 3rd contract for a player), is that owner cheap or incompetent? Or do we cue up the “Why not both?” gif? Asking for a friend?
Does Domas’ contract extension count as a max contract? If it does, it’s the only one, but yeah…cheap ass owner for sure.
Kings are one of just 6 teams (Orlando, Detroit, Charlotte, Indy, ATL) to not pay a dollar in tax since Vivek took over. Orlando is about to go into the tax this season.
The Kings also have the 2nd fewest playoff wins during that time. Detroit has only 2, but will likely get more this season.
Vivek and John Fisher are cut of the same cloth.
I still recall the painful statistic that has been stated here that since Vivek took over, the Kings have made the postseason a whopping 8% of the time.
Domas contract was not a max contract .
It’s worth mentioning that the Kings got Nique Clifford by giving up the backside of that Spurs pick. The Kings already got some good value out of the pick. If the Spurs stumble in 2027 for some reason, it would be a huge windfall for the Kings. It would take away a little bit of the sting from the bad Fox trade.
Ok, that now makes sense to my 2027 Spurs pick confusion. When the Fox trade happened it was a free and clear 2027 pick. When the Kings traded for the #24 from OKC, they gave up the pick if it falls 17-30. If it falls 1-16 the Kings keep it, but have to give up two 2nd round picks to OKC.
If Spurs get good quick and that pick falls anywhere between #25-#30, then they did well by getting the #24 in this year’s draft.
With Kangz luck, it will fall at #17 and go free and clear to OKC. Let’s hope Nique turns into an NBA player otherwise it becomes a double whammy.
Every time I visit TKH these days I’m literally fearing that I’ll see a front-page banner saying that the Kings have given in to the Warriors’ demands for a Kuminga trade. It makes seeing headlines about things like NBA 2K26 a bit of a relief, even if I have no interest in the topic.
OK! I have had enough of the Westbrook fiasco. You are going to trade Monk so you can get Westbtook? The guy will not improve your chances of making even the playin At 36 and nobody else wants him why in a good name would the King’s want him. There are players now on the team who can relieve Schroder for 10 or 15 minutes. Ellis was a point guard at Alabama. How about Clifford. Would give him some minutes in the starting lineup.
At 36 are we getting older? How much older can you get.
Saw a hypothetical trade the other day where Monk goes to the Spurs and a protected first for Keldon Jphnson and Jeremy Sochan. I would even add Carter. Both young and have already proven they can play at the NBA level.
Don’t yell to loud but here are my thoughts. Trade Sabonis to the Pistons for Jalen Duren, Ron Holland and Tobias Harris. If you watched Duren during the playoffs last year against the Knicks You know what I mean. If you haven’t then take a look. He can score inside rebound the hell out of the ball and protect the rim. He is starting to show a medium shoot. Holland has a no quit motor especially on defense and at only 21 years old (Duren only 22) Both can only improve. Harris is the player who is the steadiest of the 3. Only 1 year left on his contract. So play him one year then make your decision. You also gain a 2026 and 2029 first round pick. Sabonis is the best player of the bunch but when you combine 2 up and coming talents and a steady good mentor and 2 good first round picks IMO its worth it to start our rebuild. You also have DDR to trade and it will happen.
Would do your proposed Det trade in a NY second. Duren has unbelievable still yet untapped potential and could morph into a top 50 NBA player in the next couple of years. His stats this past season weren’t that much better than the previous year – but he did shoot at a 69% FG clip – good for 11th in the League. Believe the dude is still growing into his body and developing stamina is the only reason why his 77 game performance this past season didn’t result in a higher stats boost. I had good seats to the Kings/Detroit game (and witnessed the unveleivable collapse to the Pistons, even by Kangz standards), and noticed up close how Duren’s raw athleticism – when combined with developing his skillset a little further – may place him among the highest ceiling of today’s developing NBA Centers. Tobias Harris is a solid not-too-old former all-star Forward, and Ron Holland a solid prospect. This trade would help give the Kings the length and athleticism they desperately still need.
Weird, there’s not one mention of Westbrook in his comment, much less a “fiasco.”
And I agree, I’m quite fine not seeing any banners announcing any trades for players whose name rhymes with “bubinga.” Especially if we’re conceding more than the 2 piece he’s worth right now. We’re not giving away the biscuit. Not for half a ground bologna sandwich no one else even wants…
Appreciate the in-depth and well written article in the dead of the offseason.
I personally am not optimistic about that Spurs pick, but that Minny pick may be juicy.
The Kings still needs to be in asset gathering mode. The team doesn’t have a building block player for long-term success.
IMO they do not have a building block player ro build around. The closest would be Sabonis but he doesn’t move the team closer to a title. Therefore In the above trade scenerio I have traded him for younger players ready to breakout, a steady veteran player who can still play but is also a mentor to the younger players. And don’t forget the 2 first round picks included. IMO this is a really good start to build a King’s culture. I would also look to trade Monk, Carter and DDR for younger players or draft picks.
This wouldn’t be a complete rebuild as we also have Murray, Ellis, Jones,Clifford and Raynaud already on the team. Add Duren, Holland and Harris and you are on your way. With all the draft picks and maybe one or 2 more that too would be great.
Sad slim hopes…the life of a Klownz fan, I mean Kangz. All my hope for this team is gone until I see them get out of play-in picture to top 6 seed. Until then they barely exist. The Spurs should be fun and I will be rooting for them, I see them ascending the next couple years.
OT: I’m not entirely sure how reputable this article is, but is states the Kings are “aggressively” looking to trade Monk in order to make space to sign Westbrook. I guess the team isn’t old enough for Vivek.
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/nba/kings-aggressively-pursuing-trade-clear-room-russell-westbrook-2117973
I don’t understand the reason why the Kings want to bring in Westbrook. He would solve nothing. Weed to get younger not older. If this is a Vivek thing then Perry needs to tell him give me 100% control or go look for another GM. It’s as simple as that.
Hearing this news, I oddly don’t even care for some reason. Extreme apathy has kicked in and nothing will surprise me about this franchise.
I don’t like Vivek.
And I get negative vibes from Perry.
I get the reluctance to take off the protections for a first round pick for Kuminga. However, if he were available in the draft, where would he be taken? At 22, and had he still be in college up until the draft, I suspect he’s a top 3 prospect. So effectively, you are getting a top 3 pick in the draft without needing the luck to land in the top 3, albeit on a non-rookie scale (but what do I care about Vivek spending his money?). So what’s the big problem of either removing the protections or making it a top 4 protection and see if that does the trick. This has nothing to do with whether or not he’s the guy to be on the roster or if or how he helps, it’s just a way to potentially make the deal if the Kings want him. Love to know what others think of this.
For sure, Kuminga would be a top prospect if went to/stayed in college. But the problem is that we’ve seen him as a pro and there are definitely red flags. It would be potentially catastrophic to give up an unprotected pick for a player you already know doesn’t shoot well, has tunnel vision, blows defensive assignments, not developed well, etc.
That said, my issue is not so much with the particulars of the Kuminga saga itself, but the Kings approach to roster building. Specifically, the lack of patience or any coherent plan. What they should be doing (as most everyone knows) is teardown/rebuild with high lottery picks. That’s what they should be using picks for instead of trading it for the latest Vivek/Perry player-crush.
But we all know they won’t do that, so instead we are left with hoping that they are inadvertently bad enough in 2030 to end up with a high lottery pick (stealth tank). Or have Dallas style luck and land the next Cooper Flagg with a 1.8% chance. For me, the chance of that happening is more valuable than Kuminga. For that matter, even with the offered protections, I think it’s a wash. A pick outside the lottery, which has a decent chance of landing a rotation player, is (for me) no worse value as a flawed Kuminga on a $25m/yr contract.
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