These three teams are rising contenders in need of a star point guard and have the kinds of assets that the Kings would be interested in.

In case you missed it, the Sacramento Kings are expected to open trade talks around franchise point guard De'Aaron Fox, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday, and Fox's preferred landing spot is San Antonio.

On top of Barnes' potential return, the Kings can likely poach the Spurs' Rookie of the Year front-runner Stephon Castle in a deal. Castle is averaging 11.7 points and 3.6 assists as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, proving to be acclimating to the next level rather quickly at just 20 years old.

Fox, who was an NBA All-Star and NBA Clutch Player of the Year in 2023, led the league in steals last season. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, there will be “ plenty of suitors ” for his services if he does become available on the trade market.

If the Sacramento Kings trade star point guard De'Aaron Fox, the San Antonio Spurs reportedly are his preferred destination.

The NBA trade deadline is a week away and rumors continue to swirl. Jimmy Butler 's situation with the Miami Heat remains ongoing. De'Aaron Fox is the latest big name involved in speculation. There are several teams expected to be interested in acquiring Fox from the Sacramento Kings ... including the Heat.

The Kings point guard has preferred destination, according to reports, but these teams make the most sense as a landing spot.

Michael Shapiro is a sports reporter for Chron, covering the Astros, Rockets, Texans and every team in town. Michael is a Denver native and graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, and a noted fan of pull-up threes, wide-receiver passes and a good hot fudge sundae.

Despite sitting in second place in the Western Conference and boasting a haul of future draft picks, the Houston Rockets don't seem like they will

De’Aaron Fox isn’t looking to bolt for a big market, but instead wants to join the big Frenchman in San Antonio.

The San Antonio Spurs look like they have a leg up on the competition for Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox’s services. Though Fox has publicly denied making an official request, his assertion that “everybody has a preferred destination” (h/t The Sacramento Bee’s Chris Biderman) strongly suggests that he’s considering leaving Northern California.