Haynes: De'Aaron Fox Rejected 2-Year, $105M Kings Contract Extension Before Season
Sacramento Kings star De'Aaron Fox declined a two-year, $105 million extension from the team this past offseason, according to Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes.
Haynes reported on the #thisleague UNCUT podcast (via RealGM) that the decision didn't reflect any desire from Fox to seriously consider options outside of Sacramento. Instead, he's aiming to earn an All-NBA selection, which would allow him to earn even more money with the Kings.
A first career All-NBA honor is an attainable goal for the 25-year-old after he was an All-Star for the first time in 2022-23. That along with his performance in the 2023 playoffs served as a bit of a coming out party on the national stage.
Fox's performance has only improved to open the current campaign. Through 14 games, he's averaging 30.3 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 47.9 percent overall and 35.7 percent from three-point range.
Sacramento, meanwhile, is 11-8 and fifth in the Western Conference. While the Kings aren't maintaining their pace from last year, they're showing their 48 wins were no mirage. They once again figure to be a top-six contender when the regular season wraps up.
Looking at the bigger picture, the franchise also has its core lined up for the foreseeable future. Domantas Sabonis made that possible when he agreed to a four-year, $186 million extension in the summer rather than hit the open market in 2024.
Haynes' report points to the fact ownership will have to pony up in a big way in the no-too-distant future.
Fox is signed for two more seasons, and he's headed toward a significant raise in 2026 regardless of whether he makes an All-NBA team before then. Once that happens, he and Sabonis alone could potentially account for $100 million a season between them.
It's a good problem for the Kings to have, especially given how long they've waited to have a roster foundation this strong. But with the more punitive collective bargaining agreement in place, the front office will eventually have a difficult balancing act in terms of providing Fox and Sabonis with an adequate supporting cast.
