Sacramento Kings: 3 players with something to prove in Orlando

1. De’Aaron Fox

De’Aaron Fox isn’t going anywhere. His contract does not expire this season, and he has not underperformed despite his numbers taking a slight decline from his second NBA season. But that is not to say that he doesn’t have something to prove.

Fox is the best and most important player on the Kings roster. While not much of the blame was directed at him for Sacramento’s slow start, this IS his team. He is the catalyst of the offense and gives the team an identity on the court. The consensus is that the Kings passed on Doncic because they wanted to give Fox control of the offense and be the face of the franchise.

Fox has certainly elevated his game since his disappointing rookie season and Kings fans have seen him take over games and show flashes of superstardom. We routinely refer to him as one of the top young point guards in the NBA and predict regular All-Star appearances throughout his career.

But because of the Kings’ lack of success and Sacramento’s market size, Fox’s reputation has taken a bit of a hit around the league. He is routinely left off of “Best Players Under 25” lists, and sometimes it feels as though the list makers just simply forgot that he exists.

It is difficult for Fox to gain recognition as a point guard in a Western Conference that is loaded with them. His numbers could all shoot up, and he would still be an outsider when it comes to All-Star voting.

However, maybe some of that reputation could change if Fox is able to lead the Kings to an unlikely playoff appearance. The “bubble” situation at Disney World will create an atmosphere that no player has ever participated in before, meaning wild things can happen. What better wild card to pull off something improbable that De’Aaron Fox and his blinding speed?

After a dismal start to the season that saw him miss a large portion of games, Fox has been a steady force in leading the Kings back to relevance down the stretch of the season. If he is able to cap off a comeback season by nabbing the Kings’ first playoff appearance in a decade and a half, the respect might start to come his way.