Regrading the Kings-Spurs-Bulls Trade for De’Aaron Fox and Zach LaVine

When the Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls completed their three-team blockbuster centered on De’Aaron Fox and Zach LaVine in February 2025, Sacramento framed it as a decisive, win-now move. Has it actually worked out that way, though?

How has the trade panned out for the Kings?

The Kings had tasted playoff basketball recently and felt pressure to prove their rise in the Western Conference was sustainable rather than fleeting. Instead of recalibrating their timeline, they opted to swap Fox for another established scorer in LaVine, hoping to maintain offensive firepower alongside Domantas Sabonis and their veteran core.

On the surface, it looked like a franchise unwilling to take a step backward. A little over a year later, however, that urgency appears to have clouded long-term judgment, and it is a major reason Sacramento earns a D grade for its role in the trade.

Sacramento Kings grade: D

BREAKING: Sacramento is finalizing a trade to send De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in a multi-team trade that moves Chicago Bulls' Zach LaVine to the Kings, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Ftmo8N4hMj
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2025

The Kings’ situation today highlights why patience might have served them better. Fox was under contract, and while questions about long-term direction were fair, Sacramento was not negotiating from desperation. Instead of prioritizing a star-for-star return, the Kings could have targeted younger, cost-controlled players such as Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, or Julian Champagnie, who would have added depth, defensive versatility, and financial flexibility.

Taking on LaVine’s maximum-level contract significantly tightened Sacramento’s cap sheet, limiting future maneuverability and making it harder to pivot when results fell short. A package built around younger contributors and draft assets would have allowed the Kings to remain competitive while quietly reshaping their roster.

Instead, the franchise absorbed long-term financial risk without meaningfully raising its ceiling and now finds itself in a more complicated position than before the trade.

How has the trade panned out for the Spurs?

San Antonio, by contrast, identified the perfect moment to accelerate its rebuild. Pairing De’Aaron Fox with Victor Wembanyama has given the Spurs one of the most dynamic inside-out duos in the league. Fox’s speed, downhill pressure, and late-game shot creation complement Wembanyama’s rim protection, floor spacing, and generational upside in a way that feels seamless rather than forced.

DE'AARON FOX. 2X NBA ALL-STAR. 🤩@Ledger | #PorVida pic.twitter.com/E22Pae3b13
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 12, 2026

The Spurs did part with young role players and draft considerations, but they did so from a position of depth and financial stability. More importantly, they turned potential into production, climbing the Western Conference standings and establishing themselves as a legitimate playoff threat.

San Antonio Spurs grade: A

Because the move elevated both their floor and ceiling while aligning perfectly with Wembanyama’s timeline, San Antonio earns a confident A grade for maximizing the opportunity.

How has the trade panned out for the Bulls?

Chicago’s involvement in the deal was less about immediate wins and more about a strategic reset. The Bulls had hovered in mediocrity for multiple seasons, burdened by LaVine’s sizable contract and lacking a clear path toward contention in the Eastern Conference.

By moving LaVine, Chicago regained financial flexibility and positioned itself to reshape the roster with younger pieces and future draft capital. The team has not surged immediately in the standings, but that was never a realistic expectation. Instead, the Bulls gained breathing room, optionality, and clarity, three things they previously lacked. For choosing direction over stagnation and committing to a sustainable reset, Chicago earns a solid B grade.

Chicago Bulls grade: B

In hindsight, the trade underscores how timing and self-awareness can define franchise trajectories. The Spurs understood when to push their chips forward, the Bulls understood when to pivot, and the Kings struggled to choose a clear lane.

Sacramento’s fear of regression led to a move that limited flexibility and complicated its long-term planning. Meanwhile, San Antonio accelerated its ascent into contention, and Chicago embraced structural change. More than a year later, the contrast in standings and stability reflects those philosophical differences, and the grades tell the story.