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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

For nearly eight years, De’Aaron Fox poured his heart into Sacramento, determined to be a King for life. “I truly wanted to play for one team my whole career. I really did.” But everything changed in late December when the organization fired head coach Mike Brown after a rocky start to the season. The timing of Brown’s exit raised eyebrows, especially since one of his final acts as head coach was publicly calling out Fox after a tough loss. That led many to pin the blame on the star point guard. But the truth? It was far from that.

As Fox returns to Sacramento tonight for the first time since his trade to San Antonio, he spilled the beans about the Kings’ nasty plot in Brown’s departure that threw the point guard under the bus. Turns out, De’Aaron was the one rooting for Brown while some of his teammates wanted the head coach gone, “During Mike’s extension talks, some guys in the locker room didn’t want Mike. Some guys wanted him to be fired during the summer… But I’m not going to say [who].”

Meanwhile, Fox wanted the Kings to stick with Brown because he was tired of the constant leadership change throughout his career, “I was like, ‘Yo, I’ve been here for going on my eighth year. If Mike gets fired, I’ll be going on my fifth coach.” In less than eight years, the point guard had played under Luke Walton, Dave Joerger, Alvin Gentry, and Mike Brown. Moreover, Fox’s stance might have sparked the idea of his eventual trade, “I told them, ‘I’m not going to play for another coach. I’m going to play for another team.’”

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Despite his warning, the Kings decided to part ways with Brown mid-season. And what frustrated Fox even more is that the management made no public comments to rescue him from the blame and criticism for Brown’s firing, until very late. “You fire the coach, and you don’t do an interview? So, all the blame was on me. Did it weigh on me? No. I don’t give a f—. But the fact y’all are supposed to be protecting your player and y’all let that happen… I felt at the time the organization didn’t have my back.” Fox remarked. What further tainted his relationship with the Kings was the way he found out about his trade.

De’Aaron Fox makes Shocking Revelation about how he received the Trade News from the Kings

After Mike Brown’s firing, it became clear that De’Aaron Fox’s time in Sacramento was running out. Within weeks, team management reached out to his agent, Rich Paul, letting him know they were actively entertaining trade offers from multiple teams.

But here’s the twist—Fox himself hadn’t been informed yet. Of course, Paul, being the agent he is, made sure his client knew exactly what was happening behind the scenes. However, Fox also got wind of the situation in a different way—through a private meeting with an anonymous member of the organization. What was said in that conversation? That’s where things get interesting.

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Did the Kings betray De’Aaron Fox, or was his trade to San Antonio a blessing in disguise?

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However, by then, Fox already knew his fate, “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.” Moreover, he was shocked to realize that the media knew about his trade to the Spurs before the Kings GM told him, “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.”

The only silver lining in this situation for Fox was that he got traded to a destination of his choice even though it made him a villain in the eyes of many Kings fans. But he stands by his decision and remains unbothered by the outside noise, “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.” Well, it will be interesting to see how the Kings fans welcome Fox in Sacramento tonight after his shocking revelations. As a hero or as a villain?

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Did the Kings betray De’Aaron Fox, or was his trade to San Antonio a blessing in disguise?

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