Sacramento Kings Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kings Discussed Deal For John Collins

January 30th, 2025 at 11:16pm CST by Earnest Marshall

Jazz big man John Collins continues to be frequently mentioned as a possible target for the Kings. Reporting last week cast doubt on Sacramento’s ability to make a deal for Nets forward Cameron Johnson, but Collins is someone who might fit the roster at a lower cost.

As has been previously reported, the Kings made Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, and draft compensation available as they sought out roster upgrades. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports that before the De’Aaron Fox news broke earlier this week, the Kings discussed various frameworks of trades that would have netted Collins.

It’s unknown how Fox’s availability affects the Kings’ interest in Collins, and NBA insider Marc Stein says it’s also unclear how far talks between the two teams progressed before the Kings opened up offers for Fox.

However, James Ham of ESPN1320 reported on “The Kings Beat” podcast (YouTube link) that the Kings basically had a deal done for Collins, going so far as to tell their players, before pulling out.

“I saw some rumors, but I definitely didn’t hear that,” Collins said of Sacramento, per The Salt Lake Tribune’s Andy Larsen. “Whatever Sacramento is doing, that’s, you know, their prerogative, if it involves me or not. Obviously, I would have found out. But I’m kind of happy I just didn’t have that news — sorry, nothing against Sacramento — just kind of happy I didn’t have that news hit my phone. I’ve just got to continue to be the best professional I can be and continue playing basketball.“

For what it’s worth, a package of Huerter ($16.8MM) and Lyles ($8MM) would work as a match for Collins’ $26.5MM salary. Collins is averaging 18.1 points (his most since 2019/20), 8.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per game with an impressive .531/.446/.869 shooting line this season.

“It’s a Catch-22. It’s something that I try not to think about because I would get lost in it. And that’s why I just say I’m just happy that I found a nice group of guys here who can talk me through all of the trade rumors. You know what I mean?” Collins said. “Because this is not an easy thing mentally, to think about whether, it might be a better situation or worse situation, and whatever situation is out there, it’s not my current one. So it’s hard for me to think about that and focus.“

Latest On De’Aaron Fox

January 30th, 2025 at 8:41pm CST by Earnest Marshall

More than half the teams in the NBA have inquired on De’Aaron Fox since the Kings made him available for trade on Tuesday, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Talks with San Antonio, Fox’s reported preferred destination, are going to be particularly interesting, Amick writes, with the Spurs potentially in position to push negotiations into the offseason in an effort to further evaluate their options without losing out on Fox to another team.

One potential sticking point in negotiations between the two teams could be the inclusion of 2024 lottery pick Stephon Castle. Amick writes that there is skepticism in league circles that the Spurs would include their rookie who has shown real potential.

Additionally, from the Spurs’ perspective, it may make more sense to wait until the offseason to make a move for Fox because Chris Paul is continuing to help elevate their franchise at 39 years old.

While Fox is likely to sign an extension with the Spurs if he’s traded there, other inquiring teams are likely viewing him as a rental (he’s under contract through the 2025/26 season), and the quality of their offers figures to reflect that.

The general mood of the locker room in Sacramento could impact the Kings’ timing in moving Fox, as Amick says multiple players expressed frustration that this situation is poorly timed since it coincides with Sacramento playing well under interim coach Doug Christie.

One player the Kings are not interested in acquiring as part of any Fox deal is the Heat‘s Jimmy Butler. The Kings “do not see Butler as the answer,” according to Amick. As has been well-reported, the Heat are trying to trade Butler ahead of the 2025 deadline and the Kings’ star point guard would be a logical target for Miami, given his Kentucky connection with Bam Adebayo.

Fox hasn’t requested a trade from the Kings, but his unwillingness to commit long-term led the Kings to approach his representation and put him on the block. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Fox and his camp would have preferred to reach this point this summer when teams are more flush with draft capital and room to make offers.

The Nets are described by Fischer as a team who can be ruled out for an in-season acquisition of Fox but could make a run for the one-time All-Star in the summer.

Regardless of whether Fox becomes eligible for a super-max this season by making an All-NBA team, he has no intention of signing an extension with the Kings, Fischer writes. While Fischer suggests that the haul for Fox wouldn’t be the same as what the Cavaliers had to give up for Donovan Mitchell, as an example, it might not make sense for the Spurs to surrender multiple valuable assets for a player who is interested in signing with them in 2026 either way.

Pairing up with Wembanyama is still Fox’s ultimate goal, fueled by representation by Klutch Sports’ Rich Paul. According to Fischer, that destination was also in mind when Darius Garland‘s future in Cleveland was called into question last offseason. The Spurs have also envisioned potentially targeting Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball or Chicago’s Josh Giddey to pair with their franchise center, Fischer adds.

Here are some other recent tidbits about Fox:

The Lakers aren’t a potential Fox destination because Klutch knows Los Angeles wouldn’t give up Austin Reaves in any deal with Sacramento, Fischer writes.
As has been reported, the Rockets are looking to play out the rest of the season with their young core that has them in No. 2 in the Western Conference. However, that’s not the only reason they’re not currently exploring a trade for Fox. According to Fischer, the Rockets are skeptical of Fox’s fit with the team, even though the timeline makes sense.
A potential Fox trade could cause veteran DeMar DeRozan to reevaluate his future in Sacramento, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes. “Yeah, it’s tough because looking at the landscape, before I came here, those are the guys I talked to was Fox, [Domantas Sabonis] and Malik [Monk],” DeRozan said. “Those are the core guys that made it easy for me to make my decision to play here, and a key player, a key juggernaut in Fox, not knowing the future of that, it does make it tough.“

Trade Rumors: Butler, George, Lakers, Kessler, Turner, Raptors

January 29th, 2025 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a look at the clubs who could potentially get involved in a multi-team Jimmy Butler trade, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel adds the Sixers to the list of possible facilitators.

Given the contracts on their books, it’s hard to see how the 76ers could realistically get involved unless Paul George is an outgoing piece, since Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey aren’t going anywhere, no one else on the roster makes more than $8.2MM, and the club isn’t well positioned to absorb salary.

For what it’s worth, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports (Twitter video link) recently broached the possibility of Philadelphia reacquiring Butler in a deal that sends out George, noting that Embiid had interest in the idea of reuniting with Butler before the Sixers signed George.

However, Goodwill added that the Sixers told George they wouldn’t trade him in the first year of the four-year contract he signed in July. Even if they were willing to do so, I think George’s value has probably taken a significant hit since the summer based on how the first half of the season played out, so I’m skeptical about how much interest the Heat or another team would have in taking on his long-term max deal.

Here are a few more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:

On the heels of Anthony Davis declaring publicly that he thinks the Lakers need to add another big man, the team has made acquiring a center an even greater priority, team and league sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic. With that in mind, Buha runs through a number of targets who might make sense for Los Angeles, starting with Jazz center Walker Kessler. Buha views Kessler as an ideal fit in L.A. and advocates for the Lakers to aggressively pursue him, noting that the cost would likely be two first-round picks or an unprotected first-rounder and rookie Dalton Knecht.
Within the same Athletic article, Buha writes that the Lakers have “long coveted” Pacers big man Myles Turner and explains that some people view Turner as “sneakily gettable” because it’s unclear whether Indiana is prepared to pay him $30MM per year in free agency. Still, even if he’s available, acquiring Turner would be challenging, given that other teams would have interest and the postseason-bound Pacers would likely want a starting-caliber center in return, Buha adds.
Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) takes a closer look at the Turner dilemma facing the Pacers, breaking down the case for keeping and re-signing him and the case for trading him.
Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link) suggests not reading too much into the report linking the Raptors to Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram. As Lewenberg explains, Toronto always does its due diligence when a star player becomes available and is likely doing the same with Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the team is serious about acquiring either player.

Kings’ De’Aaron Fox Addresses Trade Rumors

January 29th, 2025 at 2:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters at Wednesday’s shootaround, Kings guard De’Aaron Fox “validated reports” that the team is listening to trade inquiries for him, according to Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee.

In the wake of ESPN’s Shams Charania reporting on Tuesday that the Kings are willing to discuss the possibility of trading their starting point guard, Fox said he wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being moved ahead of next Thursday’s deadline.

“In this league, I expect the unexpected,” he said. “I think crazier things have happened. … That’s their decision to make. I can’t tell them not to listen to offers or I can’t tell them to listen to offers.”

According to Biderman, Fox said on Wednesday that he hasn’t requested a trade. Even if he had, he likely wouldn’t confirm it on the record to reporters, since a player who publicly asks to be traded is subject to a substantial fine from an NBA.

Still, Fox’s statement doesn’t contradict Tuesday’s reporting. Of course, those reports suggested that the 27-year-old has shown no inclination to sign a long-term extension with the Kings, who were advised by agent Rich Paul that it might be in their best interests to consider moving his client sooner rather than later. So even if no trade request has been made, it sounds like the team is feeling pressure from Fox’s camp.

Reports on Tuesday indicated that in the event of a trade, Fox has a preferred landing spot, which is believed to be San Antonio. While he didn’t confirm on Wednesday that he’s looking to get the Spurs, he also didn’t dispute the idea of having his eye on a particular team.

“For sure, I think everybody has a preferred destination,” Fox said, per Biderman. “I think everybody has a preferred destination if they’re not in the place that — or if they’re not going to be in the place where they are in the moment. I think it’s natural.”

Sacramento is seeking win-now players and draft assets in any Fox deal, Charania said during an appearance on ESPN’s First Take on Wednesday (Twitter video link).

The star guard remains under contract for one more season beyond 2024/25, so if the Kings don’t get an offer they like for him at next week’s trade deadline, they could resume trade talks in the offseason. As Biderman writes, Fox has no intention of sitting out games while waiting to see if he’s traded.

“Every day I step on the court, I do my job. That’s always my thing,” Fox said. “I’ve never been a person to worry about anything else or go and do anything else. Every time I step on the court, I try to play the best I can, I try to win games.”

Fox has spoken in the past about wanting to remain in Sacramento long-term as long as the team shows it’s capable of contending for a title and isn’t just battling for a playoff spot. The Kings are doing the latter this season, with a 24-22 record that puts them in 10th place in the West.

Asked whether there’s a chance the Kings hang onto Fox, upgrade their roster, and convince him to sign an extension during the 2025 offseason, the former Kentucky star didn’t rule out the possibility.

“I think anything’s possible in this league,” he said. “Like I said, crazier things have happened.”

Trade Rumors: Nets, Fox, Butler, Bucks, LaVine, Lakers, Turner

January 29th, 2025 at 7:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have interest in Kings guard De’Aaron Fox and view him as a potential trade target, but they haven’t given up on the idea of eventually landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who describes the Bucks star as Brooklyn’s “white whale.”

A desire to preserve their most valuable trade assets for Antetokounmpo if there’s even the slightest chance that he’ll become available would complicate the Nets’ efforts to make a deal for Fox, Lewis notes. It’s also unclear whether the 2023 All-Star would have interest in signing a long-term contract in Brooklyn, though the presence of head coach Jordi Fernandez – a former Kings assistant – would presumably work in the Nets’ favor.

Brooklyn is one of many teams around the NBA with interest in Fox — Shams Charania of ESPN said during a late-night appearance on SportsCenter on Tuesday (YouTube link) that the Kings had already gotten “dozens” of calls on the star guard.

The one team consistently linked to Fox is San Antonio. Charania confirmed during his SportsCenter appearance that the Spurs are “atop (Fox’s) list of preferred destinations.”

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Checking on the Jimmy Butler situation, Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) says his sources remain skeptical about the possibility of the Grizzlies acquiring the Heat forward, who reportedly doesn’t want to end up in Memphis.
On the other hand, Stein continues to hear whispers about Milwaukee as a possible Butler suitor, noting that Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis are the kinds of win-now players on short-term deals who may appeal to Miami. Whether or not they make a play for Butler, the Bucks are considered “as determined as any team” to make a pre-deadline deal in the hopes of beefing up the supporting cast around stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Stein adds.
K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (YouTube link; hat tip to BrewHoop) confirms that the Bucks have interest in Bulls star Zach LaVine, which was speculated last week. However, with Phoenix guard Bradley Beal said to be uninterested in waiving his no-trade clause to go to Chicago, that likely eliminates one potential multi-team scenario in which LaVine could end up in Milwaukee.
With the Bulls seeking a first-round pick for Nikola Vucevic and the Wizards asking for a protected first-rounder for Jonas Valanciunas, the Lakers are exploring other center options and have discussed internally whether it makes sense to put both of their tradable first-round picks (2029 and 2031) on the table for Pacers big man Myles Turner, sources tell Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints. It’s unclear if Indiana would actually move its starting center, but there has reportedly been some chatter around the league about whether the Pacers will be comfortable meeting Turner’s asking price when he reaches unrestricted free agency in July.

Rockets Aren’t Interested In De’Aaron Fox Deal

January 28th, 2025 at 6:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cross the Rockets off the list of potential suitors for De’Aaron Fox, according to The Athletic’s Kelly Iko.

With the revelation that the Kings might consider dealing their leading scorer before next week’s deadline, Houston has been mentioned as a potential landing spot. However, Iko hears the Rockets aren’t interested in making a major move until at least the offseason. That echoes a Marc Stein report regarding the Rockets’ reluctance to pursue a blockbuster deal.

Rockets front office executives learned through recent conversations with Kings officials that there’s an increasing likelihood of a potential Fox trade, according to Iko.

In the Rockets’ thinking, it’s not time to mess with a good thing. They currently lead the Southwest Division and sit second in the Western Conference standings. The Rockets’ front office is pleased with the growth of its young roster and wants to ride out the rest of the season with that core group, as general manager Rafael Stone stated publicly last month.

Team sources told Iko they’re only interesting in making a marginal move that wouldn’t impact the current rotation. The Rockets would seek draft compensation in the form of second-round picks to take on additional salary in such a trade.

That’s because the Rockets aren’t saddled with the same restrictions as some contenders who are above the first or second tax aprons. The Rockets are approximately $10.6MM under the luxury tax and still have their $12.8MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception available to use in a trade.

While there will likely be plenty of other teams with interest in Fox, multiple reports have indicated that San Antonio is believed to be the guard’s preferred destination.

Kings Expected To Entertain Trading De’Aaron Fox

January 28th, 2025 at 3:29pm CST by Luke Adams

3:29pm: Fox’s preferred landing spot is believed to be San Antonio, reports James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link).

However, agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports remains open about where his client might land and is expected to talk to interested teams ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, according to Amick, who says Paul told the Kings it might be in their best interests to move Fox sooner rather than later.

2:41pm: The Kings are expected to open up discussions about the possibility of moving De’Aaron Fox ahead of next Thursday’s trade deadline, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

According to Charania, there will likely be many teams with interest in Fox, though there’s a belief that the star guard – who can become a free agent in 2026 – is targeting a specific destination.

Sam Amick of The Athletic (Twitter link) confirms that piece of intel, adding that Fox has “continued to signal a lack of interest” in signing a contract extension with Sacramento. NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) also hears that the 27-year-old is “zeroed in” on a specific team and says other potential suitors will be discouraged from acquiring him.

The timing of the news is interesting, given that the Kings have played their best basketball of the season over the past month, following the dismissal of head coach Mike Brown. Sacramento had a 13-19 record as of December 30, but has since climbed to 24-22 by winning 11 of its past 14 games under new coach Doug Christie.

Still, Fox’s contract situation in Sacramento is tenuous. He turned down a three-year, maximum-salary extension offer during the 2024 offseason, ostensibly because he’d have the opportunity to earn a more lucrative deal during the summer of 2025 — at that time, he’d be eligible for a four-year max deal or, if he earns All-NBA honors this season, a five-year super-max extension.

Fox subsequently spoke in both October and December about not wanting to commit long-term to Sacramento unless he was sure the team was able to “compete at a high level” and wasn’t just “fighting for a playoff spot.” Even after their recent surge, the Kings fall into that latter category. They currently hold the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference.

Reports in recent weeks have indicated that the Kings continue to seek out upgrades for their roster in the hopes of improving their playoff chances. Players like Brooklyn forward Cameron Johnson and Utah big man John Collins have been most frequently mentioned as potential targets.

However, the Kings may be reluctant to give up future assets for supplemental pieces if they’re not confident about their ability to retain Fox beyond his current contract and uncertain whether those potential additions would help convince him to stay.

A report last month indicated that the Spurs were positioning themselves to pursue Fox if he were made available.

The Rockets, who reportedly had interest in Donovan Mitchell last year, are also viewed as a logical suitor, with Fred VanVleet‘s maximum-salary contract only guaranteed through this season, notes Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). However, NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link) hears that Houston remains reluctant to make a major in-season move.

Sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) that the Nets are among the teams with Fox on their radar and are monitoring the situation. Amick said earlier this month that the Heat and Lakers are frequently discussed by people around the league as possible Fox suitors, with the Magic also believed to be considering the idea of going after him.

Of course, we don’t yet know the identity of the team Fox reportedly has his eye on, which figures to have a substantial impact on how the Kings’ trade talks play out.

For what it’s worth, opposing executives who have spoken to Begley (Twitter link) believe San Antonio is among the teams Fox would like to play for. During an NBA Today appearance on Tuesday afternoon (Twitter video link), Charania said the Lakers aren’t Fox’s destination of choice.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), if Fox’s preferred destination has cap room in 2026, that team could sign him outright at that point. But if Fox gets dealt to that team – along with his Bird rights – prior to 2026, he could sign a far more lucrative contract, worth up to a projected $296MM over five years instead of $219MM over four.

Because Fox is under contract for one more season beyond this one, the Kings aren’t necessarily under the gun to make a decision on his future by February 6. If he remains in Sacramento through the trade deadline, the team could revisit its trade options during the 2025 offseason.

Pacific Notes: Curry, Fox, Richards, Dunn

January 26th, 2025 at 9:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Stephen Curry has a right thumb injury, but the Warriors superstar won’t use that as an excuse for his recent subpar shooting, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes. Curry missed all eight of his second-half field goal attempts in a loss to the Lakers on Saturday. He’s averaging 16.5 points per game over his last four outings.

“It sucks, but it’s not an excuse for anything,” Curry said. “Got to play through it. I went 8-for-8 with it [against the Sixers). It’s just something that has been lingering to the point that it gets hit every once in a while. It’s one of those things. It is almost gone, and then it gets knocked again. I will deal with it, but it shouldn’t bother me like it did (Saturday).”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

De’Aaron Fox has a sprained right thumb but, like Curry, the Kings guard says he can play through it. Fox went 6-of-20 against the Knicks on Saturday and has shot 32% from the field over his last six games. “People can make up the excuse they want,” he said, per Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee. “Sometimes you just don’t play well. I’m just missing shots. That’s the way the game goes sometimes.”
In his fourth game since being acquired by the Suns, Nick Richards had a 20-point, 19-rebound outing against Washington on Saturday. “I’m just taking full advantage of it,” Richards said of his opportunity to be Phoenix’s starting center, per a tweet from PHNX Sports (video link). “It was a great time in Charlotte, I had the most amazing time with some of the best people in the world. But I’m here right now, and I’m taking full advantage of every single thing that the Suns are giving me.”
Suns rookie forward Ryan Dunn won’t play on Monday against the Clippers. He’s listed as out due to a left ankle sprain, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets. Dunn, who has started 24 games, played just two minutes against the Wizards before suffering the injury.

Jazz Notes: Tanking, Markkanen, Mills, Williams, Collins

January 23rd, 2025 at 7:26am CST by Luke Adams

Several Jazz players who have sat out recent games likely would’ve been playing more if the team were contending for a playoff spot, writes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune.

That group includes Lauri Markkanen, who missed four consecutive games due to back spasms, and John Collins, who was out for eight straight due to left hip injury management. Third-year center Walker Kessler sat out a game last week in a non-back-to-back situation due to “rest.”

As Larsen writes, the Jazz are in full-on tank mode, which is probably the right long-term move for the franchise, given the challenges of attracting free agents to Utah and the need to build through the draft. Still, Larsen isn’t in favor of the NBA system that incentivizes losing and sought out a pair of Jazz veterans to get their thoughts on tanking.

“I don’t think losing, or purposefully losing, should be part of professional sports,” said Markkanen, who signed a long-term extension with Utah in August. “I feel like athletes always want to compete. I understand why some organizations around the NBA are doing it, but I feel like it sucks, in my opinion. There should be a better way to build rosters. That’s the way it’s been, so I understand it, but that’s my opinion.”

Veteran guard Patty Mills conveyed a similar sentiment.

“I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve always played for purpose. I play for purpose, that’s for sure. So when purpose isn’t there, it’s definitely hard,” Mills said. “It’s obviously a business, and everyone realizes when you get to this stage. There are situations that will happen that will remind you of that. At the end of the day — it’s a business call for sure — our job is to go out there and help develop, help teach, especially these young guys, how to be professionals.”

Here’s more on the Jazz, who fell to 10-32 with a loss in Oklahoma City on Wednesday:

Jazz rookie Cody Williams, who left Monday’s game vs. New Orleans due to what the team referred to as a left ankle sprain, was wearing a boot and was on crutches in the locker room after the game, according to Larsen, who suggests (via Twitter) the No. 10 overall pick may be facing a “decently long” absence. Williams wasn’t available for Wednesday’s game in OKC.
In a separate Salt Lake Tribune story, Larsen highlights Collins’ return from his eight-game injury absence, noting that the big man’s performance on Wednesday certainly didn’t hurt his trade value — Collins had 22 points and 12 rebounds vs. the Thunder and was a plus-12 in 26 minutes in a game Utah lost by nine points. Larsen also explores whether rumors linking Collins to the Kings make sense.
Appearing on the Jazz’s game broadcast on Wednesday, general manager Justin Zanik explained the thinking behind the team’s decision to trade three “least favorable” first-round picks in 2025 and 2027 and 2029 to the Suns in exchange for Phoenix’s unprotected 2031 first-rounder, as Larsen relays. “The way it makes sense for us is that we now have another shot at a pick that has a lot of variability. The three picks we traded have no chance to be the No. 1 pick, and this one does,” Zanik said. “It balances out what we want, but we’ve always talked about bites at the apple or more swings in the draft, but it also is about the quality of the swings, and this is, in my opinion, the most valuable asset on the market right now.”

Mike Brown's Firing Was A First For DeMar DeRozan

January 22nd, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

DeMar DeRozan came to Sacramento to play for Mike Brown, but the Kings fired their head coach in late December. In an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, DeRozan said it’s a first for him in his long NBA career. “That was the first time I ever dealt with the firing of a coach in the middle of the season,” DeRozan said. “It’s new for a lot of the guys who played for him for multiple years. It’s much different from my standpoint of still being new having to adjust to that. It’s hard to process it when you’re still going through it.”