[ESPN] NBA交易情报 - 三支西部领头羊如何备战交易截止日

By Tim Bontemps, Brian Windhorst | ESPN, 2025-02-01 01:14:00

由生成式人工智能翻译,译文内容可能不准确或不完整,以原文为准。

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上周,NBA齐聚巴黎,进行了一系列活动和两场比赛,这基本上是文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)的个人秀。两周前,他刚满21岁,但NBA将此作为常规赛的重头戏,以此测试欧洲市场对大型NBA赛事的反应。

随着关于在欧洲建立新的NBA联盟的会议加速推进,联盟的所有高管都与总裁亚当·萧华一起前往巴黎。联盟的媒体部门也全力以赴,不仅要记录这一盛事,还要通过其所有平台向全球观众推广这些比赛。联盟还大力宣传了比赛的吸引力,指出来自50多个国家的球迷购买了门票。

但这一切都是围绕着文班亚马展开的。他知道这一点,并在第一场比赛中砍下31分、11个篮板、6次助攻和5次盖帽,展现了自己的实力。这是一场令人惊喜的表演。文班亚马感受到了这一刻,并将其描述为“我人生中排名前五的比赛”,这是有原因的。

萧华回到美国后,与联盟颇具影响力的竞赛委员会和总经理们进行了为期数天的会议。消息人士称,在这些会议中,萧华大力宣传了本周的成功以及球迷的强烈反响。这再次有力地提醒人们,属于维克多的时代正迅速逼近NBA。

周四晚上,文班亚马获得了他的第一次全明星之旅,西部联盟的教练们理所当然地选择他作为替补。然后有消息称,萨克拉门托国王队的球星后卫德阿伦·福克斯(De’Aaron Fox)可能会通过交易离队——而且他更倾向于成为文班在圣安东尼奥的搭档——而就在几天前,2026年选秀的潜在状元秀A.J. 戴班特萨(A.J. Dybantsa)也表示他想加入文班亚马。

如此多的迹象表明,文班亚马和马刺队将登上NBA的顶峰。但是,尽管人们对这一接管充满了可以理解的期待,但也要考虑到西部联盟目前的排名榜首。

有三支球队正排队组成“文班亚马封锁线”:俄克拉荷马城雷霆队、休斯顿火箭队和孟菲斯灰熊队。这三支球队都拥有充满年轻天赋的阵容,拥有可以用来进一步提升球队的选秀权,并且有耐心去寻找合适的机会。

在我们每周的联盟之旅中,我们将深入了解这三支西部竞争者的现状,以及他们如何在交易截止日前加强自己的位置。此外,我们还将探讨福克斯和吉米·巴特勒(Jimmy Butler)的最新交易谈判,并关注卫冕冠军波士顿凯尔特人队最近的困境。

跳转至情报:

西部领头羊三强的截止日操作?

进入巴特勒争夺战的球队?

德阿伦·福克斯和国王队是如何走到这一步的?


三支球队挡在文班时代之前

俄克拉荷马城雷霆队

邦坦普斯(Tim Bontemps): 我们没有把雷霆队写成未来十年西部的王者,这本身就是文班亚马巨大潜力的另一个标志。无论如何,他们很有可能成为王者。雷霆队已经连续第二个赛季有望获得西部最佳战绩,拥有一支联盟最佳的核心阵容,其中没有人超过26岁,并且拥有联盟中任何一支球队都无法比拟的交易资产。

很少有球队,如果有的话,能像雷霆队这样拥有如此多的选择——尤其是在争冠球队中,其中很多球队已经交易了大部分的选秀权。但是,尽管人们关注着总经理萨姆·普雷斯蒂(Sam Presti)的下一步行动,但雷霆队在交易截止日之前是否会采取行动还远未确定。

温德霍斯特(Brian Windhorst): 雷霆队从训练营开始就表示,他们着眼于长远发展,并不寻求在赛季中积极参与交易市场。除了他们的年轻之外,还有两个理由相信这一立场:上赛季,他们在赛季中期引进戈登·海沃德(Gordon Hayward)的尝试失败了,他们不想重蹈覆辙。他们本赛季还没有以他们首选的首发阵容打过一场比赛。

“凭借他们所有的选秀权(从现在到2031年,他们拥有15个首轮签和17个次轮签),他们可以做任何事,但如果他们能让每个人都相信他们计划什么都不做(在截止日前),他们就会受益,”一位总经理告诉我。“每个想和他们交易的球队都希望他们多付钱。此外,想要进行交易的球队也会想和他们接触,因为这会提高所有其他球队的价格。”

邦坦普斯: 还有一件事需要考虑:球队即将暴涨的薪资。ESPN的鲍比·马克斯(Bobby Marks)预测,从2026-27赛季开始,NBA的工资帽将大约为1.7亿美元。为了便于讨论,让我们假设杰伦·威廉姆斯(Jalen Williams)——他与文班亚马一起在周四晚上首次入选全明星——和切特·霍姆格伦(Chet Holmgren)都获得了在那个夏天开始生效的顶薪续约合同。根据这个工资帽预测,这两份续约合同的起薪都将是4250万美元。如果雷霆队执行以赛亚·哈尔滕施泰因(Isaiah Hartenstein)和卢根茨·多尔特(Luguentz Dort)的球队选项——这两位都是目前阵容中的关键球员——那将是另外4620万美元。

到目前为止,雷霆队的七名球员的薪资总额将达到约1.91亿美元,这基本上确保了俄克拉荷马城将进入奢侈税线。而这还是在下个赛季之前,届时谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大(Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)将开始执行他的超级顶薪续约合同,如果目前的预测成立,该合同的起薪将达到惊人的7200万美元。

所以消息人士告诉我,现在进行的任何交易都必须着眼于未来,因为这支蓬勃发展的年轻核心阵容的薪水将开始变得越来越昂贵。


休斯顿火箭队

邦坦普斯: 休斯顿何时会为了一个球星孤注一掷还有待观察。过去一个月已经看到的是,阿门·汤普森(Amen Thompson)真的有机会成为一个球星。

看看汤普森在一月份的数据吧,这位去年选秀的第四顺位新秀在小贾巴里·史密斯(Jabari Smith Jr.)肩部受伤后进入了首发阵容:场均18.5分、10.9个篮板、4.3次助攻、2.3次抢断和1.2次盖帽,投篮命中率为56.7%。

他在周一与波士顿比赛的最后一分钟——包括一个漂亮的动作晃过杰伦·布朗(Jaylen Brown),并在比赛还剩不到一秒时投进制胜球——展示了为什么消息人士告诉我休斯顿相信他拥有和队内任何一位年轻球星一样多的潜力。

温德霍斯特: 火箭队总经理拉斐尔·斯通(Rafael Stone)有理由被同行评选为年度最佳总经理,尽管普雷斯蒂很可能是第一次获得这一荣誉的最热门人选。斯通的选秀,特别是汤普森,是主要原因,但斯通在2023年聘请伊梅·乌度卡(Ime Udoka)担任教练的决定看起来可能是一个改变球队命运的选择。让一个阵容与教练保持一致是联盟中最难的事情之一,尤其是在短时间内,但火箭队毫无疑问做到了这一点。这支球队散发着乌度卡的个性,尤其是在防守端。

邦坦普斯: 消息人士称,火箭队也一贯采取的立场是,他们将在任何重大调整之前先看完这个赛季。这部分是因为球队想先看看他们的年轻核心——汤普森、史密斯、杰伦·格林(Jalen Green)、阿尔佩伦·申京(Alperen Sengun)、塔里·伊森(Tari Eason)、里德·谢泼德(Reed Sheppard)和其他人——在季后赛的熔炉中能取得什么成就。

格林和申京都在秋季签署了新秀续约合同,但直到7月才生效。这是否意味着其中一个,或两个,都将被包含在交易中?不。但这将给予休斯顿最大的灵活性,可以根据自己的选择重塑阵容。火箭队本赛季的表现已经远远超出了最乐观的预期,他们完全有理由保持耐心。


孟菲斯灰熊队

温德霍斯特: 孟菲斯与雷霆和火箭略有不同,因为它是一支更成熟的竞争者,尽管他们的窗口期仍然很长。灰熊队可能会在过去四个赛季中第三次成为前两号种子。

他们的核心球员年龄稍大一些,而且他们已经把他们都锁定了长期合同,这意味着灰熊队是这三支球队中薪资最高的,但还没有到面临工资帽硬性限制的程度。他们在选秀权方面状态良好,拥有他们所有的首轮签和几个交换权。他们在交易讨论中比雷霆和火箭更加活跃——这是有道理的;他们经历过更多的季后赛伤痕。

邦坦普斯: 在接下来的一周里,灰熊队的一名球员值得关注,那就是后卫马库斯·斯玛特(Marcus Smart)。联盟消息人士告诉我,最近几周关于这位前最佳防守球员的讨论很多。

斯玛特拥有超过100场季后赛的经验,他可能是季后赛球队的有趣选择,尽管由于一系列伤病,他在过去两个赛季在孟菲斯的总出场次数只有38场,目前正因右手(投篮手)食指受伤而缺阵。斯玛特的缺席为杰伦·威尔斯(Jaylen Wells)、GG·杰克逊(GG Jackson)和文斯·威廉姆斯(Vince Williams Jr.)等年轻球员创造了机会。

孟菲斯也可能受益于在明年夏天腾出薪资空间,以便与小杰克逊完成续约合同并重新签下圣地·阿尔达马(Santi Aldama)。所有这些都使得斯玛特的情况值得关注。


吉米·巴特勒和迈阿密热火的最新消息是什么?

邦坦普斯: 情况与过去几周基本没有变化。巴特勒和热火仍然存在分歧,他成为球队高效一员的可能性微乎其微。

球队想交易他,而他显然也想被交易。截至撰写本文时,还没有一项交易能满足迈阿密的期望:能够立即提供帮助的球员、有潜力的年轻球员、选秀权或延伸至2026-27赛季且之后无法交易的薪金的某种组合,因为热火希望在那个星光熠熠的自由球员市场中有所作为。

目前还有待观察的是,这种情况在2月6日交易截止日之前是否会发生重大变化。

温德霍斯特: 虽然消息人士称,迈阿密愿意在交易中接受合同中包含未来薪金的球员,这使得巴特勒实现愿望并被交易的狭窄窗口变得更宽了一些,但这并不包括接受布拉德利·比尔(Bradley Beal),消息人士告诉我。比尔的合同在本赛季之后还有两个赛季和超过1.1亿美元的薪金,这仍然是任何迈阿密与菲尼克斯讨论的症结所在。

太阳队已经努力了好几周,试图组建两队、三队、四队甚至五队的交易方案,以得到巴特勒,并给迈阿密带来他们想要的回报。这是过去十年来最复杂的谈判之一,所有关系的特殊性使情况更加复杂。比尔的经纪人马克·巴特尔斯坦(Mark Bartelstein)是太阳队首席执行官乔什·巴特尔斯坦(Josh Bartelstein)的父亲,而另一方面,热火总裁帕特·莱利(Pat Riley)和巴特勒在过去一年的大部分时间里一直争执不休,最终导致了巴特勒本周第三次被禁赛。

“关于这次谈判的一切都太私人化了,”一位参与了广泛谈判的球队高管说。“找到一个解决办法已经够难了,但这方面让事情变得更难了。”

邦坦普斯: 菲尼克斯可能不是巴特勒交易的可能选择,但金州勇士队可能是,消息人士告诉我。勇士队——他们追求球星的历史,加上他们身处西部联盟附加赛边缘的现状——对于巴特勒的服务来说将是一个 intriguing 的可能性,因为他和斯蒂芬·库里(Stephen Curry)的组合在七场系列赛中可能是一支强大的力量。而且,随着巴特勒和热火之间的传奇故事的持续,迈阿密的要价可能会低到足以吸引金州勇士现在就采取行动,同时为今年夏天的其他行动留下空间。

随着新秀大个子凯尔·华莱士(Kel’el Ware)现在似乎成为迈阿密首发阵容中与巴姆·阿德巴约(Bam Adebayo)并肩作战的永久成员,安德鲁·威金斯(Andrew Wiggins)可以填补迈阿密目前由海伍德·海史密斯(Haywood Highsmith)占据的首发小前锋位置,因为巴特勒仍然无限期停赛。如果迈阿密需要在2026-27赛季的夏天采取行动,威金斯3000万美元的薪水比比尔5700万美元的薪水要更容易接受——尤其是当后者附加了一个令人讨厌的不可交易条款时。

消息人士称,这对于热火来说在两年前就是一个无法接受的条件,在比尔被华盛顿奇才交易到菲尼克斯之前——而且他们的立场没有改变。


国王队和德阿伦·福克斯是如何走到这一步的?

温德霍斯特: 引用海明威的话:逐渐地,然后突然地。

消息人士称,福克斯在休赛期没有签署续约合同,并且在本赛季的参与度低于往常。当教练迈克·布朗(Mike Brown)被解雇时,情况变得更糟,这将不应有的责备推给了福克斯,只会增加他的不满。

邦坦普斯: 虽然福克斯总是有可能在截止日前被交易,但阻碍高薪球星市场交易的相同问题的变体将使任何谈判变得复杂。

交易像福克斯这样薪水的球员(3480万美元)并不容易。需要控球后卫的球队越来越少,控卫可以说是联盟中最深厚的位 置,这限制了萨克拉门托的现实追求者数量。福克斯的合同还剩一年多的时间,这意味着国王队可以很容易地把这个问题拖到夏天,届时球队将更愿意也更有能力为福克斯达成交易。

温德霍斯特: 最近追踪国王队的球探注意到,即使国王队在道格·克里斯蒂(Doug Christie)接任教练后赢得了更多比赛,福克斯的数据也在下降。然而,这部分原因可能是福克斯正在处理拇指扭伤。

“这里的底线是,国王队似乎知道福克斯不会与他们续约,”一位联盟高管告诉我。“这很清楚,现在他们可以先发制人,在他们能够获得最佳交易的时候进行交易。这就是几年前犹他爵士队对多诺万·米切尔(Donovan Mitchell)的做法。他们提前行动,引发了一场竞价战。”

点击查看原文:NBA trade intel - How three West leaders are prepping for the deadline

NBA trade intel - How three West leaders are prepping for the deadline

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Last week, the NBA descended on Paris for a week of events and a pair of games that were essentially a Victor Wembanyama festival. He’d turned 21 just two weeks before, but the NBA was making this a cornerstone of the regular season, a test for how the European market would react to a major NBA event.

All the league’s top executives joined commissioner Adam Silver in Paris as meetings about a new NBA league in Europe accelerated. The league’s media arm was there in full force, aiming not just to document the occasion but to amplify the games to a global audience via all its platforms. And the league touted the draw of the game, noting fans from more than 50 countries bought tickets.

But it was all built around Wembanyama. He knew it and delivered, scoring 31 points with 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 blocks in the first game. It was a jackpot performance. There was a reason Wembanyama, feeling the moment, described it as “a top-five game of my life.”

When Silver got home, he had several days of meetings with the league’s influential competition committee and general managers. In these sessions, sources said, Silver trumpeted the week’s success and the strong response from the fans. It was another powerful reminder that the Age of Victor is rapidly approaching the NBA universe.

Wembanyama earned his first All-Star appearance Thursday night when the Western Conference coaches rightfully selected him as a reserve. Then there was news that Sacramento Kings star guard De’Aaron Fox could be on the move via trade – and that his preference is to become Wembanyama’s running mate in San Antonio – this just days after A.J. Dybantsa, the potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, said he also wanted to join Wembanyama.

So many signs are pointing toward the ascension of Wembanyama, and the Spurs, to the top of the NBA. But for all of the understandable anticipation of that takeover, consider the top of the Western Conference standings.

There are three teams lining up to form a Wembanyama blockade: the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies. All three feature rosters chock full of young talent, draft capital to spend to improve even further and the ability to be patient to search for the right opportunity.

In our weekly trip around The Association, here’s an in-depth look at where all three of those West contenders stand and how they can strengthen their positions at the trade deadline. Plus, we examine the latest on trade talks involving both Fox and Jimmy Butler and check in on the suddenly stumbling defending champion Boston Celtics.

Jump to intel:\

**Deadline moves for the West-leading trio?\

Teams entering the Butler sweepstakes?\

How De’Aaron Fox and the Kings got here**


Three teams stand in the way of the Wemby era

Oklahoma City Thunder

Bontemps: It is another sign of Wembanyama’s massive potential that we aren’t just writing in the Thunder as the West kings for the rest of this decade. There’s every chance they will be, anyway. OKC is already on pace to have the conference’s best record for a second straight season, has a core that ranks among the league’s best while having no one older than 26 and has as many trade assets as any team in the league.

Few, if any, teams have the options the Thunder do – particularly among contending teams, so many of which have already traded most of their draft capital. But, despite the attention on GM Sam Presti’s next move, it’s far from assured that OKC will be active between now and Thursday’s trade deadline.

Windhorst: The Thunder have let it be known from the start of training camp that they are playing for the long term and not seeking to be aggressive in the trade market during the season. There are two reasons to believe this position, beyond their youth: Last season, their significant midyear addition of Gordon Hayward failed, and they’re not looking to repeat it. They have yet to play a game this season with their preferred starting lineup.

“With all their draft picks [15 firsts and 17 seconds between now and 2031], they can do anything, but they benefit if they can convince everyone they plan to do nothing [at the deadline],” one general manager told me. “Every team that wants to deal with them will want them to overpay. Plus, teams who want to make a trade will want to engage them because it would raise the price for everyone else.”

Bontemps: There’s one other thing to consider: the team’s soon-to-be skyrocketing payroll. ESPN’s Bobby Marks projects that, starting in 2026-27, the NBA’s salary cap will be roughly $170 million. For argument’s sake, let’s pencil in Jalen Williams – who joined Wembanyama as a first-time All-Star Thursday night – and Chet Holmgren for max extensions that kick in that summer. Under that cap projection, those extensions would begin with them both making $42.5 million. If the Thunder pick up team options on both Isaiah Hartenstein and Luguentz Dort – two critical contributors to the current roster – that’s another $46.2 million.

That would, as of now, have the Thunder staring at a payroll of roughly $191 million for seven players, basically ensuring Oklahoma City would be in the luxury tax. And that’s before the following season, when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be starting a supermax extension that would begin at a staggering $72 million if current projections hold.

So any deal that happens now, sources told me, would have to be made with an eye toward the future, as the salaries for this burgeoning young core start to get wildly more expensive.


Houston Rockets

Bontemps: It remains to be seen when Houston will push its chips in for a star. What has been seen over the past month is that Amen Thompson truly has the chance to be one.

Just look at these numbers across January, when Thompson, the fourth pick in last year’s draft, has been in the starting lineup after Jabari Smith Jr.'s shoulder injury: 18.5 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, while shooting 56.7% from the floor.

And his final minute in Boston Monday – including a tremendous move to shake Jaylen Brown and sink the winning bucket with less than a second to go – showed why sources have told me Houston believes he has as much upside as any of its young stars.

Windhorst: Rockets GM Rafael Stone has a case for Executive of the Year as picked by his peers, though Presti is likely the favorite to win the honor for the first time. Stone’s draft picks, namely Thompson, are the central reason, but Stone’s decision to hire Ime Udoka as coach in 2023 looks like it might’ve been a franchise-changing choice. Aligning a roster with a coach is one of the hardest things to do in the league, especially in short order, but the Rockets have no doubt made it happen. This team exudes Udoka’s personality, especially at the defensive end.

Bontemps: The Rockets have also consistently taken the position, sources said, that they are going to see this season through before any significant tinkering. That is partially because the franchise wants to first see what its young core – Thompson, Smith, Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard and others – can accomplish in the crucible of the playoffs.

Both Green and Sengun signed rookie extensions in the fall that don’t kick in until July. Does that mean one, or either, would be included in deals? No. But it would give Houston maximum flexibility to remake the roster as it chooses. Already well ahead of the most optimistic expectations for this season, the Rockets have every incentive to be patient.


Memphis Grizzlies

Windhorst: Memphis is a little different from OKC and Houston because it’s a more mature contender, though its window remains plenty open. The Grizzlies could end up being a top-two seed for the third time in the past four seasons.

Their core players are a couple of years older, and they’ve already locked them all into long-term deals, meaning the Grizzlies have the most expensive roster of this trio but are not yet at the point of facing apron trouble. They’re in great shape with picks, having all of their firsts plus a couple of swaps. They’ve been significantly more active than the Thunder and Rockets in trade discussions – and it makes sense; they’ve had more playoff battle scars.

Bontemps: One Memphis player to watch over the next week is guard Marcus Smart. League sources told me there has been plenty of discussion about the former Defensive Player of the Year in recent weeks.

With more than 100 playoff games under his belt, Smart could be an interesting option for playoff teams, though he has played only a combined 38 games overall across the past two seasons in Memphis due to a series of injuries and is currently out with an index finger injury on his right (shooting) hand. Smart’s absence has created opportunities for young players such as Rookie of the Year contender Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson and Vince Williams Jr.

Memphis would also potentially benefit from opening up salary next summer to both get a contract extension done with Jackson Jr. and re-sign Santi Aldama. That all makes Smart’s situation one to monitor.


What’s the latest with Jimmy Butler and Miami?

Bontemps: Nothing has fundamentally changed from where this situation has stood for the past several weeks. Butler and the Heat remain at odds, and the likelihood of him being a productive part of their team is remote.

The franchise would like to trade him, and he would obviously like to be traded. And, as of this writing, there isn’t a deal on the table that provides Miami what it is looking for: some combination of players who can help now, young players with potential, draft capital or salary that stretches into the 2026-27 season and isn’t movable later, as the Heat would love to be a factor in that star-laden free agent period.

What remains to be seen is whether that situation will materially change between now and the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

Windhorst: While sources said Miami is willing to take players with future money on their contracts in a trade, making the narrow window for Butler to get his wish and get traded a little wider, that doesn’t include accepting Bradley Beal, sources told me. Beal’s contract has two seasons and more than $110 million after this one, which is still the sticking point of any Miami-Phoenix discussions.

The Suns have been working for weeks now to assemble two-, three-, four- and even five-team concepts that would get them Butler and deliver Miami the kind of return it wants. It’s been one of the most complicated negotiations of the past decade, compounded by all the relationship peculiarities in this one. Beal’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, is the father of Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein, and, on the other side, Heat president Pat Riley and Butler have butted heads for the better part of a year, culminating in a third Butler suspension this week.

“Everything about this negotiation has been too personal,” said an executive from one of the teams that has been involved in the expansive talks. “It was hard enough to find a way, but that aspect has made it harder.”

Bontemps: Phoenix might not be a likely option for a Butler deal, but the Golden State Warriors could be one, sources told me. The Warriors – with their history of pursuing star players, plus their standing at the edge of the play-in mix in the Western Conference – would be an intriguing possibility for Butler’s services, as the combination of him and Stephen Curry could be a formidable one over the course of a seven-game series. And, as the saga between Butler and the Heat has dragged on, Miami’s ask could be low enough to entice Golden State to make a move now, while leaving room for other moves this summer.

With rookie big man Kel’el Ware now seemingly a permanent fixture in Miami’s starting lineup next to Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins could be a fit to slot into the starting small forward spot in Miami currently occupied by Haywood Highsmith as Butler remains indefinitely suspended. And if Miami needs to make moves in the summer of 2026-27, Wiggins’ $30 million salary is a far more palatable thing to consider than, say, Beal’s $57 million salary – particularly when the latter is attached to a noxious no-trade clause.

That has been a nonstarter for the Heat going back two years, before Beal was dealt to Phoenix by the Washington Wizards, sources said – and their position hasn’t changed.


How did we get here with the Kings and De’Aaron Fox?

Windhorst: To quote Hemingway: gradually and then suddenly.

Fox did not sign an extension in the offseason and has been less engaged than usual during the season, sources said. Matters were worse when coach Mike Brown was fired, which put undeserved blame on Fox and only increased the displeasure.

Bontemps: While there’s always a chance Fox could be moved between now and the deadline, variants of the same issues clogging the market for high-salary stars will complicate any talks.

The process of moving a player making Fox’s salary ($34.8 million) is not easy. Fewer teams need a point guard, arguably the league’s deepest position, limiting the number of realistic suitors for Sacramento. And Fox still has more than a year left on his contract, meaning the Kings could easily take this to the summer, when teams will be more willing and able to swing deals for Fox.

Windhorst: Scouts who have recently tracked the Kings have noted Fox’s down numbers even as the Kings have been winning more since Doug Christie took over as coach. Part of this could be attributed to Fox dealing with a sprained thumb, however.

“Bottom line here is the Kings seem to know Fox isn’t going to re-sign with them,” a league executive told me. “That’s clarifying, and now they can be a first mover and do it at a time when they can get the best deal. This is how Utah played things with Donovan Mitchell a few years ago. They got out ahead of it and generated a bidding war.”

By Tim Bontemps, Brian Windhorst | ESPN, via ESPN