Feb 10, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox (4) looks on during the third quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
Ahead of the February 6 NBA trade deadline, the Sacramento Kings decided it was time for a change. The Kings sent star point guard De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs to bring in two-time All-Star Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls, but sending away their franchise playmaker certainly left a dent.
Fox had an incredible career in Sacramento, becoming one of the best players in franchise history through his seven-and-a-half years as a King. His abrupt and ugly exit from the Kings left a bad taste in many fans’ mouths, making for a very interesting reunion.
The Kings host the Spurs on Friday, setting up for Fox’s first game in Golden 1 Center as an opponent.
Feb 7, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox (4) brings the ball up court against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Ahead of the highly-anticipated matchup, Fox spoke to the media about what the Sacramento reunion means to him, per Athlon Sports’ Jonah Kubicek.
“Everybody there was extremely kind and extremely grateful,” Fox said about the Kings. “And then when we started winning, then it was ‘Light the Beam’ everywhere. So like, you really felt it around the city. So it was definitely a great place for me to be for as long as I was. And I really appreciate my time there.”
“For the people who still love me, obviously, I really appreciate that,” Fox continued. “And for the people who don’t, we’re never worried about bitter people.”
As De’Aaron Fox gets ready for tomorrow’s #Spurs game back in Sacramento, @tom_orsborn asked if it natters to him what kind of response he’ll get
“For the people who still love me, obviously, I appreciate that..For the people who don’t, we’re never worried about bitter people”⬇️ pic.twitter.com/3BoiDXEmbR
— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) March 6, 2025
Since the trade, the Kings and Spurs have went in different directions. With Fox in the lineup, the Spurs are just 5-8. Since trading away Fox, the Kings are 8-5.
Of course, the Spurs got very unfortunate with the news that superstar center Victor Wembanyama would miss the remainder of the season. Many people were excited to see the pairing of Fox and Wembanyama in San Antonio, but fans will have to wait until next season to see the full potential of the talented duo.
Many fans still sit on the fence with how they feel about Fox’s departure, so the crowd will likely be a mix of cheers and boos on Friday night. Regardless of how fans feel or how poorly he handled his exit, Fox’s impact in Sacramento is undeniable, and the All-Star guard did incredible things for the struggling franchise.
Follow Sacramento Kings on SI on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe on YouTube for breaking Kings news videos and live-stream podcasts!
