With the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis swap taking the NBA world by storm, a three-team deal between the Spurs, Kings, and Bulls went under the radar. That’s shocking considering the deal included two former All-Stars in their primes. Let’s break down the trade that sent De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs and Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings, with grades for all three teams involved in the blockbuster deal.
San Antonio Spurs: A+
Received: De’Aaron Fox, Jordan McLaughlin
There’s no other way to put this: It’s a home run deal for the Spurs. They were able to acquire an All-Star guard without giving up any of their young talent. Most thought they’d have to include at least Devin Vassell or Jeremy Sochan. It seems like rookie Stephon Castle was never on the table.
The 2025 picks they gave up are both heavily protected. Their own 2027 pick will likely be at the end of the first round. The best asset is potentially Minnesota’s 2031 first-round pick, but the Spurs may have already collected multiple titles by then. Fox is the perfect complementary piece to Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. His speed and scoring ability will put a ton of pressure on defenses, allowing Wembanyama to have even more room to operate.
The Spurs’ young core now consists of Fox (27), Wembanyama (21), Castle (20), Vassell (24), and Sochan (21). And, they still have plenty of picks to move in case another star becomes available.
Sacramento Kings: B
Received: Zach LaVine, Sidy Cissoko, 2025 FRP (via CHA, top-14 protected), 2027 FRP (via SAS), 2031 FRP (via MIN), 2025 SRP (via CHI), 2028 SRP (via DEN), 2028 SRP (own)
Fox didn’t leave the Kings with much wiggle room. His trade demand and impending free agency weakened the market. With that in mind, the Kings could have done a whole lot worse. Zach LaVine is in a similar tier to Fox, is only two years older, and is a far better shooter. The issue with Lavine has been injury woes and a bloated contract that has two more years on it after this season.
With the protections placed on the picks, it’s likely the Kings end up with two first-rounders out of this deal. That seems light after seeing Mikal Bridges — who has never made an All-Star team — get traded for five first-round picks in the offseason. But, as previously mentioned, Fox forced the Kings’ hand and picked his destination. The 2031 Timberwolves’ pick could be exciting if things don’t get fixed in Minnesota.
Chicago Bulls: C
Received: Kevin Huerter, Tre Jones, Zach Collins, 2025 FRP (own)
The trio of players they received is unlikely to make a massive difference. Jones and Collins saw their roles diminish this season. The same goes for Huerter who is enduring his worst season as a pro.
The only reason the Bulls didn’t get a lower grade is that they are finally embracing a full rebuild. With LaVine gone, the Bulls will sink in the Eastern Conference. He was having a career year (24.0 PPG, 51.1 FG%, 44.6 3PT%) and was the team’s go-to option in clutch situations.
Getting their pick back from the Spurs is massive. The Bulls will now boost their lottery chances with a stacked draft class upcoming. They’ve seemingly been shopping LaVine for months, and this was likely the best deal they could get. But, with LaVine playing as well as he has this year, it doesn’t feel like a fair return.
