The San Antonio Spurs were long rumored to be the top landing spot for De’Aaron Fox, but the star guard left no room for speculation when he addressed the situation directly.
Rather than hinting at multiple possibilities, Fox made it clear that there was only ever one team on his mind.
“There was no f—ing list,” he said bluntly. “There was one team. I wanted to go to San Antonio. So, a lot of people are mad at me, saying I handcuffed the team by giving them a destination. Well, this is my career.
“If anybody else is in my position, you’d do the same thing. It’s not my job to help build your team. I’m not about to just go where they want me to go. I wanted to have a destination.”
His decisiveness didn’t sit well with everyone, but Fox had no regrets. For him, it was never about pleasing an organization – it was about taking control of his future.
Less than a week after reports surfaced that the Sacramento Kings were open to moving him, Fox was dealt away. The process, however, was anything but smooth.
On January 27th, the Kings informed his agent, Rich Paul, that they would start listening to offers. Paul, in turn, relayed the message to Fox before the organization had even officially spoken to him.
Fox recalled the moment when the Kings finally sought him out to break the news, though it was clear they were already behind the curve.
“We’re sitting there trying to have the conversation, but I know what he’s about to tell me because Rich had already told me,” Fox said, opting not to name the team official he spoke with.
“A reporter calls trying to break the story, but mind you, our GM hasn’t told me yet. So, it had already been told, even before I was told by our team.”
By the time the Kings formally informed him, the news had already left the room. It was a fitting end to a situation where, for once, Fox had taken full control of his fate.
De'Aaron Fox: There Was No Trade List, There Was Only Spurs https://t.co/gRZhn91YSQ
— RealGM (@RealGM) March 7, 2025
