Just over a month ago, Sacramento Kings Head Coach Dave Joerger made an unexpected declaration regarding De’Aaron Fox and his lofty placement within the franchise:
“The best thing you can do for him is play fast and give him as much room as possible, to play small and try to do that is best for De’Aaron. He’s our franchise guy. I think he is and I think everybody kind of agrees on that.”
Joerger appointing Fox as the franchise cornerstone came as a mild surprise due to both the recent drafting of number two overall pick Marvin Bagley, and De’Aaron’s own rookie struggles, which, while expected of a 19-year old point guard, didn’t necessarily embody the play of a future superstar.