De’Aaron Fox entered this season finally free from the burden of the Sacramento Kings playoff drought, but facing the new burden of how to build on the season before. Following a first-round playoff exit that may have gone the other way if Fox hadn’t broken his finger, following the best season of Fox’s career, and after winning the league’s first Clutch Player Of The Year award and a third-team All NBA nod, improvement was a tall order. And yet Fox improved in several key areas. Fox dramatically improved his three point shooting percentages, even when shooting threes at a much higher volume. Fox displayed an increased focus on defense, and led the league in steals. And yet, despite improved defense, improved three point shooting, and an increase in points per game, the season still feels like a little bit of a disappointment.
The problem for me when I think about Fox’s season is that is breaks out into three parts, and the three parts just happened in the wrong order. Fox played a total of 74 games, and they break down into three key segments:
Fox’s first 24 games: 30.2 points, 6.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 40.4 3P%, 8.9 3PA
Fox’s next 25 games: 23.5 points, 5.0 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 33.9 3P%, 6.7 3PA
Fox’s final 25 games: 26.2 points, 5.8 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 35.7 3P%, 8.0 3PA
The middle of the season saw Fox playing through a shoulder injury that was apparent to anyone watching. But that slump in the middle of the season really put a hamper on both Fox’s overall year and the Kings’ success. We were so spoiled by how Fox started his season that it makes what followed seem disappointing. Fox also seemed to fall in love with his three pointer this season, and there were times it felt like a detriment. Part of what made De’Aaron so special last season was the way he would knife through defenses and finish in the mid range or get to the rim, where he finished at an incredible rate. This season it seemed like Fox was reticent to attack the rim, perhaps due to the shoulder injury he suffered on such a play early in the season. But for whatever reason, Fox ISOs felt predictable in a way they weren’t before, and Fox’s clutch factor didn’t carry over on threes in the same way it did in the paint the year before.
It feels harsh to critique Fox so much, though. The shortcomings of this season fall on the entire roster, and as one of the two stars of this franchise Fox is naturally going to shoulder some of that blame. But Fox had an incredible season, and improved in two of the key areas we always hoped he someday would. He was a pest on defense, and while steals are not an end-all evaluation of defense, Fox’s steals often came in one-on-one defensive situations where De’Aaron would fluster and attack opponents. And for all the complaints about falling in love with his three pointer too much, I don’t want us to overlook the fact that Fox went from 5 threes per game last season at 32.4% to 7.8 per game this season at 36.9%. Reliably shooting well from 3 at such a high volume is game-changing for how opponents need to game plan around the Kings and Fox. The fact that Fox can put up such an incredible season and still have it feel disappointing is a testament to how talented he is, and that we can all see that next step that Fox can take.
De’Aaron Fox is still just 26 years old and entering his prime. Fox has shown us so many incredible facets to his game, but it feels like he still hasn’t fully hit his ceiling. I’m hoping we see it next season, where we get 75+ games at the level that Fox played his first 24 games this season.
