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Report: Knicks Tried to Send Kristaps Porzingis to Kings for De'Aaron Fox

The Knicks reportedly tried to trade Kristaps Porzingis to the Kings in exchange for De'Aaron Fox ahead of the 2018 NBA draft. 

The Knicks dealt Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks ahead of the February trade deadline, but a new ESPN report suggests a different deal could have been made before the 2018 NBA draft last June. 

ESPN's Zach Lowe reports the Knicks were in talks with the Kings for De'Aaron Fox despite his struggles during his rookie season. In the leadup to last year's draft, the Kings who had the No. 2 pick were interested in drafting Luka Doncic to rebuild the team around the him.

"Rivals sensed the dilemma and made offers for Fox — including a template from the New York Knicks centered around Kristaps Porzingis that would have required Sacramento to either send something beyond Fox or take unwanted Knicks salary (or both), sources say," Lowe wrote.

The Kings picked Marvin Bagley III with the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NBA draft. 

Doncic now plays with Porzingis in Dallas after going No. 3 overall in the 2018 NBA draft. The Knicks received point guard Dennis Smith Jr. and center DeAndre Jordan in exchange for Porzingis.

Fox is averaging 17.4 points and 7.2 assists per game this season, while the Kings are 36–37 and sit in ninth in the Western Conference.