De’Aaron Fox has taken over the headlines as a potential trade candidate heading into the NBA’s February 6th trade deadline. Though the San Antonio Spurs have emerged as De’Aaron’s potential desired destination, I believe that there are some other teams that could work just as well while simultaneously holding the potential of enticing De’Aaron into a long term contract.

I gave AI five teams that I think the Kings should consider, and had it come up with pieces to be included in a mock trade for each team. From there, I constructed trades where the money matches for all sides- using exceptions at times.  I then gave my opinion on why the trades may make sense, to see if the Spurs truly are the most desirable destination.

These trades are more or less what I could imagine Sacramento desiring, but a lot of the pieces are contingent on the other team’s confidence in resigning De’Aaron in the 2026 offseason. 

1. Orlando Magic

Kings receive:

• Jalen Suggs
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
• Goga Bitazde.
• 2025 First-Round Pick (via Denver)
• 2027 First-Round Pick (Lottery Protected)

Magic receive:

• De’Aaron Fox
• Trey Lyles(RPLE)
• Colby Jones
• Alex Len

De’Aaron’s Fit in Orlando

Listen, I think De’Aaron’s fit in Orlando deserves way more attention. Pairing him with Banchero and Wagner would create a trio that could make serious noise in the playoffs. Their play styles complement each other perfectly, and De’Aaron’s ability to push the pace would elevate the entire roster.

Potential Trade Pieces

For this deal to work Kentavious has to be involved. The Kings would probably want Jalen as a two-way guard with upside to fill the role left by De’Aaron. Ideally, Orlando could just offer Mo Wagner and two first-round picks to get it done. But if the Magic are confident they can re-sign De’Aaron, they might need to sweeten the pot.

In that case, Goga becomes an option since he’s been playing well with increased minutes (Carter Jr. is off the table because he can’t be traded this season). The Magic would also take back salary fillers and expiring contracts to balance things out.

Kings and Magic Perspectives

The Kings would be happy with three players who can contribute to a playoff hopeful team, while the Magic finally secure their point guard of the future. The future would be bright in Orlando with De’Aaron leading the charge, and this trade could set both teams up for success moving forward.

Remaining Orlando Depth

Even after the trade, Orlando would be in great shape. They’d still have a solid defender in Gary Harris and plenty of young talent in Tristan Da Silva, Caleb Houstan, Anthony Black, Jett Howard, and Cole Anthony—guys who could step up in bigger roles if needed.

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2. Houston Rockets

Kings receive:

• Jalen Green
• Jabari Smith Jr. 
• Jeff Green
• 2025 First-Round Pick (via Phoenix)
• 2027 First-Round Pick (via Brooklyn)
• 2027 Second-Round Pick (via Memphis)

Rockets receive:

• De’Aaron Fox
• Keon Ellis

The Houston Rockets are probably one of the few teams that could seriously compete with any San Antonio offer for De’Aaron Fox—if they wanted to. Reports suggest De’Aaron has a strong interest in joining San Antonio, maybe because of Wemby or just because he’s from Texas. Still, Houston might have the second-best odds to land him if they decide to make a push.

De’Aaron’s Fit in Houston

De’Aaron would be an excellent fit for the Rockets. He’d have a strong coach, good shooters, elite athletes, and one of the best centers in the NBA to work with. His style of play would complement their roster, elevating them to serious contention in the West.

Potential Trade Pieces

At this point, Tari Eason and Amen Thompson seem unlikely to be moved. However, there’s a scenario where Cam Whitmore or Aaron Holiday is part of the deal in addition to my current proposed trade. One key player I could see Houston push for is Keon Ellis. His defense and three-point shooting would fit seamlessly with this roster, and honestly, I think Ellis alone could get Sacramento more than they might expect right now.

Sacramento’s Perspective

From the Kings’ side, trading for Jalen Green would be a no-brainer. His scoring ability has “future star” written all over it. Jabari Smith Jr. has had a solid sophomore season on one of the NBA’s best teams. Given his age, upside, and defensive versatility, the Kings should be intrigued — unless their scouting department isn’t sold on him. If that’s the case, they might need to bring in a third team to land Reed Sheppard instead.

Draft Capital & Conclusion

The draft picks are where things could get interesting. Two first-rounders and a second could shift to multiple seconds depending on how badly Houston wants Ellis and how confident they are in re-signing De’Aaron.

Ultimately, this feels like a balanced trade scenario that makes sense for both sides. Sacramento gets the young talent and assets to build for the future, while Houston lands a star-caliber guard to elevate their roster.

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3. Memphis Grizzlies

Kings receive:

• GG Jackson
• Marcus Smart
• Santi Aldama or Jake LaRavia
• John Konchar
• 2027 First-Round Pick (Lightly Protected)
• 2028 First-Round Pick (Heavily Protected)

Grizzlies receive:

• De’Aaron Fox
• Doug McDermott

De’Aaron’s Fit with the Grizzlies

I threw the Grizzlies into the mix for three reasons: their depth, their pace, and the potential of a two-guard ball-dominant lineup featuring De’Aaron and Morant (think Mavericks or Cavaliers). The idea of De’Aaron playing more off-ball as a dynamic scorer is really intriguing. Plus, it would allow Morant to share the ball-handling responsibilities instead of carrying the full load.

De’Aaron, arguably the fastest player in the NBA, joining the league’s fastest-paced team feels like a match made in heaven. His speed and scoring ability would thrive in Memphis’s up-tempo system.

Potential Trade Pieces

The Grizzlies typically roll with a consistent 11-12-man rotation, and that doesn’t even include GG Jackson and Vince Williams, who have been sidelined most of the year. With the emergence of Jaylen Wells, Memphis should feel comfortable moving one of GG Jackson or Vince Williams—but I’ll assume the Kings would want GG.

Then there’s Marcus Smart. He’s one of the best defensive guards in the league when healthy and has developed into an improved playmaker and shooter. If that’s not enough, I’d go out on a limb and suggest Memphis might offer one of Santi Aldama or Jake LaRavia, considering it’s unlikely they’ll re-sign both long-term.

As for the picks, I’d expect them to come with protections, especially since the Grizzlies probably value GG Jackson as a first-round asset.

Grizzlies’ Long-Term Outlook

For De’Aaron, there’s really no reason not to want to stay in Memphis long-term. He’d be playing alongside Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Zach Edey—all solid foundational pieces for a contending team.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves (4 team trade with Golden State & Detroit)

Kings receive:

• Jonathan Kuminga
• Julius Randle
• Mike Conley
• Rob Dillingham
• 2026 First-Round Pick (MIN)
• 2028 First-Round Pick (MIN)
• 2025 Second-Round Pick(GSW Swap)

Timberwolves receive:

• De’Aaron Fox
• Gui Santos (TPE)
• Bobi Klintman(TPE)

Pistons receive:

• Joe Ingles
• Kevin Huerter
• 2025 Second-Round Pick(MIN)

Warriors receive:

• Malik Beasley
• 2031 First-Round Pick (SAC)

Primarily for financial reasons, this trade would be virtually impossible as a straight two-teamer and unrealistic otherwise — but let’s have some fun with it.

Wolves’ Perspective

My assumption is that the Wolves wouldn’t trade Naz Reid or Jaden McDaniels, which leaves them with few assets of interest. Since this may be their only chance to get Julius Randle’s contract off the books, they send him and Conley to the Kings, along with Rob Dillingham.

With the Wolves acquiring De’Aaron, Dillingham becomes less critical as the point guard of the future. The idea here is that they can convince De’Aaron the future is bright alongside Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert. After Karl-Anthony Towns’ departure and Randle’s lackluster play, the Wolves desperately need another dynamic scorer to pair with Edwards.

However, Sacramento likely wouldn’t want Julius’ contract on their books. I think at least two first-round picks and Dillingham would be necessary to ensure Minnesota isn’t forced to re-sign Julius or risk losing him for nothing — a bad look after trading a former perennial All-Star in Karl Anthony-Towns.

Warriors’ Involvement

I assume the Warriors will be looking to trade Jonathan Kuminga after failed extension talks and his inconsistencies throughout the year. It seems they aren’t convinced he’s worth the $30 million he’s reportedly seeking. That said, Jonathan has shown enough in his increased role that I don’t see his camp lowering that demand.

Sacramento might be intrigued by Jonathan’s upside. I could see them giving up a protected first-round pick to bring him in.

Pistons’ Role

Meanwhile, the Pistons, who have cap space and are seeing an unexpected turnaround behind Cade Cunningham, may look for a versatile shooter who better fits their timeline than Malik Beasley.

This makes Kevin Huerter the most logical piece for the Kings to move, alongside Joe Ingles for salary matching and a protected second-round pick. That deal would send Beasley to the Warriors, a smaller but impactful move that could help the struggling Dubs.

Beasley would play a role similar to what De’Anthony Melton once did before his injury, fitting better alongside Steph than Dennis has this far. This could push Schroder into a sixth-man role or even make him a trade candidate at the deadline — likely just the first of several moves to reshape their season.