The Los Angeles Lakers won three straight games to improve to 16-12 for the season and go up to sixth place in the Western Conference. The playoff race in the West will be a nail-biter as only 1.5 games separate the fifth seed and the 11th-seed.
Therefore, the Lakers can’t afford to get complacent and should still be on the market for upgrades before the February 6 trade deadline.
With fans desperately hoping for a third star next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, a new star has emerged as a potential trade candidate. Per the latest reports, Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox may be available if the team continues to struggle.
The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Anthony Slater reported over the weekend that Fox’s future in Sacramento is getting murkier as the Kings have fallen to 13-17 after back-to-back losses to the Lakers.
The Lakers are seen as a potential suitor not only because they are looking to add another star, but also because Fox has been represented by LeBron’s agent and long-time friend, Rich Paul since November 2022.
“The irony of the Lakers being in the building in the Kings’ latest loss was impossible to miss: In 2019, it was a power play by Davis and Paul that pressured New Orleans into sending the big man to Laker Land. For small market teams that want to retain elite talent, that situation represents the nightmare scenario.”
– Sam Amick, Anthony Slater, The Athletic
Paul’s influence over the Lakers and the league in general is well known. He has a track record of shaping the league and getting his players to their desired destinations. If Fox feels his time in Sacramento is done, the Lakers will be a natural landing spot.
Fox has one more year left on his contract after this season.
The Kings could benefit from moving on from him earlier rather than trading him with less than a year left on his deal next season.
In that scenario, the Lakers would have to give up all of their draft capital and valuable assets, including Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht. For an All-NBA level shot creator and scorer in his prime, that would be a worthy gamble for the Lakers.
