Here’s why Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox turned down $165 million contract extension

Kings star De’Aaron Fox has reportedly declined a massive contract extension, but that doesn’t necessarily mean his future in Sacramento is in doubt.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Fox and his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, have turned down a lucrative contract extension in order to position the All-Star point guard for a bigger deal next summer.

Fox is going into his eighth season with the Kings after coming out of Kentucky as the No. 5 pick in the 2017 NBA draft. Fox has publicly expressed his confidence in the direction of the franchise after enduring years of struggles in Sacramento.

Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and general manager Monte McNair have given Fox a voice and an active role in decision making as they try to build a championship contender under coach Mike Brown. ESPN reported that Fox has “made clear publicly and privately that he wants to be a significant part of the future in Sacramento.”

Fox, 26, is entering the fourth year of a five-year, $163 million contract. He is eligible to sign a three-year, $165 extension before the start of the 2024-25 season, but next summer he could command a four-year, $229 million maximum extension or a five-year, $345 million supermax deal if he is an All-NBA selection this season.

Fox earned All-Star and All-NBA Third Team honors for the first time in 2022-23 while leading Sacramento to the playoffs for the first time since 2006. The Kings won 48 games to secure the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, ending the longest playoff drought in NBA history after 16 consecutive losing seasons.

The franchise’s fortunes have changed since the Kings hired McNair and assistant general manager Wes Wilcox in September 2020. They made a blockbuster trade for All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis in February 2022, hired Brown in May 2022 and acquired DeRozan in July in a three-time sign-and-trade deal.

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