3 best De'Aaron Fox landing spots if the Kings star requests a trade

De'Aaron Fox holds the future of the NBA in his hands.

Okay, that's dramatic. But a Fox trade would shift the balance of the NBA; he's as dynamic as they come at point guard and he's been phenomenal this season, scoring 26.2 points per game and dishing a career-high tying 6.1 assists per contest despite Sacramento's sluggish start.

A trade isn't purely speculation, either. There's basis to the thought that Fox could ask out, namely a report from Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic which says that Fox's agent, Rich Paul, went to Sacramento's front office to discuss the Kings' path forward.

No trade request has occurred yet — and Fox does seem to like Sacramento and the team he's helped build there — but it's not hard to imagine that Paul talking to Sacramento's top brass after a 13-15 start could be the move preceding a trade request.

3 best De'Aaron Fox landing spots

If Fox does end up asking out of Sacramento, he won't have a shortage of trade suitors. The Kings shouldn't force a trade; a bidding war for Fox could well ensue, and Sacramento's front office has all the leverage here. Make sure any trade package includes young players and plenty of picks. These are three teams who should already be on the phone with the Kings trying to find the right package.

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San Antonio Spurs

This is the obvious pick. San Antonio has overachieved in relation to expectations so far, and have done so with Chris Paul aging out of productivity. Stephon Castle is going to become a heck of a player in this league, but he shouldn't be the roadblock between the Spurs and De'Aaron Fox.

It doesn't take an NBA expert to understand why this trade would be appealing to San Antonio; Victor Wembanyama paired with an elite point guard is a duo the Spurs could, theoretically, build around for the next decade. We've seen the chemistry that Fox and Sabonis have developed in Sacramento, and it would be a Spurs fans dream to see Wemby build a connection like that with his point guard.

The return to Sacramento would be hefty; Spurs fans won't like this part as much as they like the idea of getting De'Aaron Fox. Some combination of Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, Jeremy Sochan, and filler to make contracts work plus a few first-round picks is probably the framework Sacramento would want to work with.

Houston Rockets

The biggest question surrounding the Rockets is whether they have enough offensive firepower to compete with the Thunder, Celtics and other top-end NBA powers. De'Aaron Fox could very well be the player who boosts them over the hump of an average offense and into the "elite" teams category.

Of course, acquiring Fox would probably require Houston giving up a few of the players who make this team so good defensively in the first place. Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith would all have to be on the table in a potential trade.

Houston won't have to give up all of them, but a Thompson, Smith and numerous picks package could move Sacramento, depending on how good the Kings think Thompson can become as an on-ball threat.

Fox's fit in Houston might seem a little clunky on first thought; Fred VanVleet has been a solid presence at point for this team. But Fox brings an extra gear as a creator and play-finisher than VanVleet does. Moving FVV to the bench as a great sixth man isn't a crazy proposition.

Indiana Pacers

A dark horse! Indiana's season has not gone how they hoped after a thrilling playoff run last season. De'Aaron Fox could bring some of that magic back.

I like Andrew Nembhard and Ben Sheppard, but if Indiana wants to keep itself in contention every season, there needs to be some more firepower at the guard spot next to Tyrese Haliburton – who is rounding into form as the season progresses, by the way.

A return package is where this trade gets a little tricky. Would Indiana be willing to part with Ben Mathurin? Would Mathurin appeal to Sacramento as a centerpiece in a Fox deal?

I don't have the answers to those... sorry. But I am sure that Haliburton, Fox and Siakam is a trio that could compete in a top-heavy Eastern Conference.