De’Aaron Fox trade rumors are heating up. So far the San Antonio Spurs have been the team most closely linked to him, with any deal set to form the potentially scary pairing of he and Victor Wembanyama.
However, the Golden State Warriors are also in a position to be aggressive at the 2025 NBA trade deadline. Warriors trade rumors have the team connected to Jimmy Butler and Zach LaVine, but is Fox really the best option for a Warriors trade? He may be, but for a Warriors-Fox trade to happen, the Warriors would need to put together a monster package.
Of the three stars that may be available at the trade deadline, Fox certainly will demand the highest asking price. Not only is he the best player of the three right now, but he's also the youngest and on the most reasonable contract. It is going to take a lot of assets to trade for Fox.
Can the Warriors compete with the Spurs on a De'Aaron Fox trade?
Right now De’Aaron Fox trade rumors have put the Spurs in the lead position to make a Fox trade. San Antonio has a ton of assets to get a deal done, including one of the best draft hands in the league and young players that are incredibly valuable. Between 2025 and 2030 alone, the Spurs have 10 first-round picks or swaps at their disposal.
The Spurs also have (at least) three intriguing young players that have positive trade value as well. Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan are all players that the Kings could theoretically want as part of their rebuild.
So that brings us to the Warriors. For the Warriors trade rumors about Fox to have any legs, they would need to be able to offer a trade package that could compete. The Warriors only have five first-round draft picks between 2025 and 2030 (all their own). They certainly can’t compete with the Spurs when it comes to draft capital, but can they when it comes to young trade assets?
Jonathan Kuminga is by far the most talented young trade asset that the Warriors have. That being said, he is due for a contract extension this offseason, which further complicates his value. Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody are also young players that a rebuilding team could be interested in, but they haven’t proven themselves as starter-level NBA players like some of the guys the Spurs can offer.
The Warriors will likely be unable to compete with any packages the Spurs can offer. Fox does however have a strong relationship with Stephen Curry, as the future face of the Curry Brand. If Fox decides that playing with Steph is his top priority, then he could use that as leverage to get to Golden State. Unfortunately, there's no indication that this is the case.
On paper, the Warriors simply don’t have enough trade assets to compete with the Spurs for a Fox trade. The only chance they really have is if the Kings value Kuminga much more than he likely is worth, or if Fox decides to demand to play with Curry and completely change the tone of his trade request. Don’t hold your breath for either possibility.