Sacramento Kings burning question No. 2: Is it time to secure the backcourt of the future?
Now is the time to go ahead and give De’Aaron Fox a max extension. He is a very good player who has all-star potential as he has given the Kings a glimpse of what the future could look like. He possesses the tools and athleticism to become an elite player in this league.
Fox is arguably the fastest player in the NBA and uses his speed to excel in transition, pick-and-roll, and isolation. He has a lightning-quick first step and can accelerate quickly on the fast break. Fox always brings a ton of effort and energy on both ends of the floor and is a player who wants to win and wants to get better.
He does need to get better defensively and get stronger as he sometimes struggles to fight through screens but that will eventually come as he continues to develop. Fox averaged a career-high 21.1 points per game this season but his play improved dramatically in the NBA bubble as he averaged 26.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.7 steals in an impressive six-game stretch.
McNair also should consider signing Bogdan Bogdanovic to a long-term deal especially in the event he does trade Hield; the Kings will still have a reliable experienced starter on the roster who is already acclimated to Walton’s system. He is a very good all-around player who is versatile and reliable.
Bogdanovic can shoot it from long range and can create his own shot as well as create for his teammates. He rarely turns the ball over and is a team-first player. He also elevated his game inside the NBA bubble while averaging 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 steals while shooting 44.3 percent from downtown. A backcourt duo of Fox and Bogdanovic would solidify the backcourt for the next few years while giving McNair the flexibility to focus on other needs.