De'Aaron Fox has been traded to the San Antonio Spurs in a multi-team deal that also sends Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings.
With all the attention on the Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis situations, this trade has flown under the radar—but make no mistake, it’s a big deal for San Antonio.
Essentially, the Spurs are following a blueprint similar to what the Dallas Mavericks did:
Victor Wembanyama as their Anthony Davis.
De'Aaron Fox stepping into the Kyrie Irving role
Chris Paul serves as the veteran leader, much like Klay Thompson.
And they are under the guidance of NBA sith lord, Gregg Popovich.
Fox won’t just be a complementary piece though. San Antonio is counting on him to be an elite scoring partner for Wembanyama. And the best part? The Spurs didn’t have to gut their core to make it happen. Losing Tre Jones and Zach Collins stings, alongside young piece Sidy Cissoko. However, they still have Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, Jeremy Sochan, Julian Champagnie, Charles Bassey, and Keldon Johnson as their young core, with Paul and Harrison Barnes providing veteran leadership.
Meanwhile, Jordan McLaughlin brings underrated value—he played a key role in Minnesota’s rise last season, proving he can contribute to a winning environment.
San Antonio remains a young team in a loaded Western Conference, but this move could have major long-term implications.
The Chicago Bulls have been teetering on whether to rebuild or push forward with their current core. Personally, I think a rebuild would be a cop-out—a GM’s way of dodging responsibility for constructing a competitive team.
Look at Sam Presti—his approach in OKC proves that smart asset management, not just tearing things down, is the key to long-term success. On the flip side, the Philadelphia 76ers serve as a cautionary tale—trusting "The Process" didn’t exactly lead to the dynasty they envisioned.
Now, with Zach LaVine off the roster, the Bulls have Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, and San Antonio’s 2025 first-round pick. Instead of blowing it all up, I expect them to flip these assets—either this season or in the offseason—to build a more balanced squad around Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, Josh Giddey, and the returning-to-form Lonzo Ball.
One major question remains: Patrick Williams. This could be his make-or-break season, especially with Matas Buzelis trending in the right direction development-wise. If P-Will doesn’t step up, the Bulls may have to rethink his place in their long-term plans.
The Sacramento Kings just leveled up. Losing De’Aaron Fox to the Spurs and Kevin Huerter to the Bulls stings, but they flipped those assets into an All-Star in Zach LaVine, plus a haul of draft picks—three first-rounders and three second-rounders.
Looking ahead, they should be thrilled about holding the 2025 first-round rights to the Charlotte Hornets, a likely lottery team, along with the 2025 second-round rights from Chicago. The downside? They might have inadvertently helped San Antonio get stronger, meaning the 2027 first-round pick from the Spurs could land late in the order. But on the flip side, Minnesota’s unpredictable trajectory makes that 2031 first-rounder an intriguing asset.
Essentially, Sacramento pulled off the "standard star deal"—a package of picks and assets that, oddly enough, Dallas never got when they traded Luka Doncic.
Meanwhile, LaVine reunites with DeMar DeRozan. It’s unclear whether they’re thrilled about sharing the floor again, as their previous stint in Chicago often saw them splitting responsibilities. However, that dynamic could work in Sacramento’s favor, especially when the playoffs roll around. If the Kings can fight their way into the postseason—or at least the Play-In Tournament in the brutal Western Conference logjam, LaVine’s scoring punch could be the difference-maker.
In a league where every move has ripple effects, this multi-team deal just reshaped the landscape for the Spurs, Kings, and Bulls. San Antonio finally gives Victor Wembanyama a legitimate backcourt star in De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento bets big on Zach LaVine and a stockpile of picks, and Chicago avoids a full rebuild while keeping flexibility for future moves.
For the Spurs, this trade signals that they're ready to compete, pairing Wemby with a proven scorer while keeping their young core intact. The Kings, despite losing Fox, now have more assets to build their future, and LaVine could provide a new offensive spark alongside DeRozan. Meanwhile, the Bulls walk away with tradeable pieces and a shot at making the most of Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, and a returning Lonzo Ball.
With all three teams at different stages of their journey, the true winners and losers of this trade won’t be clear until the dust settles on the season. But one thing’s for sure—this deal just made the Western Conference even more interesting.