Lakers' Two Biggest Rivals in De'Aaron Fox Sweepstakes Revealed

The Los Angeles Lakers improved to 19-14 for the season after beating the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night. They are playing better basketball and are now in sixth place in the Western Conference.

With the trade deadline only a month away, however, Lakers fans are more focused on potential roster upgrades than the on-court results. The Lakers need significant additions to the roster to become a true title contender. One of the names that is rumored to be a potential Lakers trade target is Kings guard De'Aaron Fox.

The All-Star point guard has been disgruntled with the organization and reportedly played a part in the firing of head coach Mike Brown after the disappointing start. Fox's contract expires at the end of the 2025-26 season and is represented by LeBron James' associate Rich Paul. This understandably raised a ton of eyebrows in Los Angeles heading to the trade deadline.

Sam Amick of The Athletic recently reported that the Lakers are near the top of the list of potential suitors for Fox but face competition from the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat.

"The San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers top the list of teams that are most often discussed as possible Fox landing spots, with others sure to make a run at him if (when?) he’s truly on the market."

- Sam Amick, The Athletic

The other teams that were mentioned by Amick were Fox's hometown team, the Houston Rockets, and the Orlando Magic.

Sacramento is 15-19 for the season and is unlikely to make the playoffs in the Western Conference. Pivoting and hitting the restart button makes plenty of sense but whether they are ready to do so at the deadline remains to be seen.

If they do, the Lakers will presumably make an offer. Los Angeles has two first-round picks and multiple pick swaps to offer in addition to matching salary.

Without giving up Austin Reaves, it's hard to imagine the Lakers having the best offer in a bidding war but that is where the Klutch Sports connection and the appeal of LeBron James come into play to swing things the Lakers' way.

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