NBA Rumors: De'Aaron Fox-Mike Brown tension, Rockets star hunt, Warriors unexpected trade bait

As we barrel toward the new year, the NBA is reaching its dramatic peak. Trade rumors are rampant, we have our first midseason head coach firing, and the entire country is up in arms over the decline in TV ratings, which has led to philosophical debates about the state and sanctity of the game.

This league.

The NBA is both our greatest sports league and our greatest soap opera, which is what makes it so special. The trade deadline is right around the corner on Feb. 6 and there is chaos mounting for a lot of teams currently outside the top tier of contention. Boston, Cleveland, and OKC feel mostly stable. Everybody else? Woof.

Here are the latest NBA rumors to get you through the weekend.

Subscribe to The Whiteboard, FanSided's daily email newsletter on everything basketball. If you like The Whiteboard, share it with a friend! If you don't like it, share it with an enemy! 

NBA Rumors: Warriors receiving 'a lot' of trade interest in Trayce Jackson-Davis

The Golden State Warriors are expected to operate aggressively in pursuit of another star to pair with Stephen Curry. Names like Jimmy Butler and Zion Williamson are commonplace in trade rumors, but it's also worth paying attention to which Golden State players are generating interest in the marketplace.

Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office have done a nice job of stockpiling draft picks and young talent to dangle in potential trades. One name garnering "a lot of external interest," per Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, is second-year big man Trayce Jackson-Davis.

This shouldn't come as much of a surprise. The 24-year-old went from a late second-round pick to a regular rotation cog as a rookie. He has built on that success in year two, averaging 8.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 62.5 percent shooting across 18.2 minutes. Jackson-Davis has started in 22 of 29 appearances for Golden State.

Despite his smallish frame and lack of perimeter skill, Jackson-Davis offers a ton of valued traits in the frontcourt. His explosive finishes, rapid-fire processing, and sound fundamentals are natural draws for contenders and rebuilding teams alike.

NBA Rumors: Rockets 'runaway pick' to trade for All-Star this season

The Houston Rockets are 21-10, which places third out West. It's hard not to be encouraged by the progress of Ime Udoka's squad. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks remain impactful, but Houston's success has been rooted in the youth movement. Alperen Sengun is a bonafide star, while Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, and Jabari Smith Jr. all profile as high-level starters for the foreseeable future. We haven't even seen extended trials for Reed Sheppard and Cam Whitmore.

As built, the Rockets are very good. That said, Houston's limited halfcourt offense is bound to stall in the postseason. If the Rockets are serious about contending this season, a major trade is in order. According to NBA insiders, it's more than possible. The Rockets are the "runaway pick" to trade for the next available star, per ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

There has been mixed messaging on Houston's plans to swing a major trade this season, with Thompson and Eason in particular looking borderline untouchable. That said, these windows never stay open forever and the Rockets are well beyond tanking. This is a young group built to contend for a long time to come. Why not supplement it with the right veteran star? A bridge to the future? Hometown hero Jimmy Butler feels like the obvious target.

Another high-level defender who can improve Houston's halfcourt execution and carry the offense late in games. That is what the Rockets need. Equipped with valuable future picks and a boatload of quality young talent, few contenders are better positioned to swing a major trade if the right opportunity arises.

So, yeah, keep an eye on the Rockets.

NBA Rumors: De'Aaron Fox, Mike Brown relationship was strained before firing

The Sacramento Kings fired Mike Brown on Friday, just six months after he signed a two-year extension through the 2027 campaign. The accomplished head coach ended Sacramento's 17-year postseason drought and was named unanimous Coach of the Year in 2023, so this move came as a shock to many.

Those watching more closely, however, could feel the tension mounting in the Kings locker room. Brown has been blunt in press conferences all season, calling out his team's late-game miscues and harping on accountability. De'Aaron Fox, meanwhile, has been at the center of trade rumors all week after his agent, Rich Paul, met with Kings leadership to discuss the direction of the franchise. In the penultimate year of his contract, Fox is clearly getting anxious as Sacramento stagnates.

According to Anthony Slater and Sam Amick of The Athletic, the relationship between Brown and Fox did contribute to Sacramento's decision to fire its head coach.

"But the stern news conferences were beginning to wear on some players, team sources said, and were part of the decision to part ways with Brown. His last postgame news conference, directed squarely at the team’s star guard, was delivered in the same week Fox appeared to be increasingly thinking about a future elsewhere... Reporters spotted Brown after Friday’s practice in an extended discussion with Fox. He was dismissed about 90 minutes later."

The Kings lost five straight games, all at home, to drop to 13-18 in the lead-up to Brown's dismissal. Poor late-game execution has been a common theme all season, with Brown taking blatant aim at Fox in recent press conferences as he attempted to inspire leadership and accountability in the locker room. Instead of breaking through to his All-Star point guard, however, Brown evidently punched his ticket out the door.

Fox, when asked about Brown's departure, refused to express "guilt" about the situation, and was sure to note that Brown gets paid either way.

The Kings fired a great coach, so it's important for Sacramento's front office to really nail the next hire. In the meantime, interim head coach Doug Christie will finish out the campaign on the sideline. We shall see how it all unfolds from here.