Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul has become a polarizing figure in the NBA, and it might be safe to say that former Sacramento Kings star and executive Peja Stojakovic isn't his biggest fan. Stojakovic appeared in the NBA Out of Bounds podcast recently, where he claimed that Paul blackmailed the Kings into trading De'Aaron Fox and acquiring Zach LaVine.
"It seems there was a directive from his agent, Rich Paul, who played a key role and blackmailed the teams on which player was supposed to get traded where," Stojakovic said. "He brought Fox to the Spurs, and Zach LaVine, who is his player, brought him to Sacramento.
"By doing this, he limited Sacramento from a business standpoint, stating that they get a bit more from this trade with Fox if they had the same discussion with some other teams in the NBA," Stojakovic added.
Paul is indeed LaVine and Fox's agent, and Stojakovic claims he orchestrated this trade. Here's what the three-team deal involving the Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls looked like.
Spurs acquire: De'Aaron Fox, Jordan McLaughlin
Kings acquire: Zach LaVine, Sidy Cissoko, 2025 first-round pick (Hornets), 2027 first-round pick (Spurs), 2031 first-round pick (Timberwolves), 2025 second-round pick (Bulls), 2028 second-round pick (Nuggets), 2028 second-round pick (Bulls)
Bulls acquire: Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, their own 2025 first-round pick from the Spurs
Stojakovic, who played for the Kings from 1998 to 2006 and was their assistant GM from 2018 to 2020, thinks the team still has good players after trading Fox. He reckons they could have gotten more, though.
The first sign that Fox might be on his way out was when he decided against signing an extension with the Kings last offseason. There was no word about the team considering parting ways with the star at the time, but an exit seemed inevitable.
Later, Paul reportedly informed teams that Fox won't sign an extension with the Kings. He was moving on from the team one way or the other. It was then reported that Paul advised the Kings to trade Fox, and they relented. It sure seems like he was heavily involved.
It will be interesting to see if Paul responds to Stojakovic's comments. He has never been shy about firing back and isn't the type to mince words either.
The Kings Are Interested In Darius Garland
With Fox gone, the Kings need a new point guard, and it appears they have identified their top target. NBA insider Grant Afseth reported they are interested in Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland.
"The Sacramento Kings have identified Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland as a trade target as they seek to address the team’s vacancy at lead guard this offseason, multiple league sources told RG. Sacramento is motivated to find a long-term solution at point guard after trading De’Aaron Fox in February."
It is quite incredible to think that it was just a few years ago that the Kings had the complete opposite problem at the position. They had Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, and felt the need to part with the latter. In hindsight, that has turned out to be a terrible decision.
Garland, who averaged 20.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game in 2024-25, would be an interesting addition, but they'll have to give up a lot for him.
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