Shams: Fox joins the Spurs, LaVine switches to the Kings

According to ESPN's Shams Charania on Sunday, the San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings and Chicago Bulls reached a three-way deal. The whereabouts of De'Aaron Fox and Zach LaVine were also settled this week. They are one of the focus figures before this year's NBA trade deadline.

The biggest beneficiary of this transaction is the Spurs, who retained their young core while acquiring 27-year-old Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox. As for 28-year-old point guard Jordan McLaughlin, he will join San Antonio from the Kings as a bonus for Fox.

Fox averaged 25.0 points, 6.1 assists and 5 rebounds per game this season, helping the Kings to rank 10th in the Western Conference with a record of 24 wins and 24 losses. The Spurs expect Fox's joining to provide strong support for Victor Wenbanyama and further enhance the team's strength.

Although the Kings sent Fox away, they still maintain a certain degree of competitiveness. In this transaction, they got the 29-year-old Bulls core Zach Lavine, who is considered one of the league's most scoring point guards. The Kings also got Spurs guard Cidi Sissoko, three first-round draft picks (2025 Hornets, 2027 Spurs, 2031 Timberwolves) and three second-round draft picks (2025 Bulls, 2028 Nuggets, 2028 Kings). Through this transaction, the Kings not only improved the team's immediate combat effectiveness, but also laid a solid foundation for the future.

The Bulls cleared the salary cap as they wished after sending LaVine away and officially launched a rebuilding plan. They also acquired Kings guard Kevin Huerter, Spurs forward Zach Collins and point guard Tre Jones, and recovered the 2025 first-round draft pick from the Spurs.