De’Aaron Fox could decide to enter 2026 free agency

Yet as De’Aaron Fox told The Athletic on Monday, his choice was about more than the money. It was, he explained, about ensuring these Kings are evolving into legitimate contenders before he decides to sign on for the long term. “For one, I’m in no rush,” said Fox, who was drafted fifth overall by the Kings out of Kentucky in 2017. “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. I’m just using people who are in my class (who have signed extensions). 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.” -via New York Times / October 18, 2024