Kings star De’Aaron Fox and fiancee had COVID-19
More than two weeks after entering NBA health and safety protocols, Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox has confirmed he was sidelined by a nasty case of COVID-19.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Howard Beck, Fox revealed that he and his fiancee, former Cal point guard Recee Caldwell, both tested positive for COVID-19 after contracting the coronavirus in April. Fox, 23, said the virus “hit me like a truck,” causing him to experience headaches, body aches, chills and dehydration.
Fox and Caldwell reportedly watched television and played ping-pong to pass the time in quarantine. Fox was cleared to rejoin the team on Friday after entering protocol April 23, but as of Sunday he was still working through final stages of the protocol process toward a return to basketball activities.
Under NBA guidelines, any player who tests positive is not allowed to exercise for a minimum of 10 days. The player must then be monitored in individual workouts for two more days. Protocols also require mandatory pre-participation cardiac screening.
Prior to Sunday’s 126-98 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden 1 Center, Kings coach Luke Walton acknowledged Fox might not return this season. Fox has already missed nine games due to the virus and there are only four games remaining in the regular season.
Walton said the organization will be cautious about bringing Fox and injured teammate Harrison Barnes (adductor) back “if it doesn’t make sense” given the team’s place in the playoff race. The Kings have already shut down rookie guard Tyrese Haliburton, who is out with a hyperextension of the left knee, for the rest of the regular season.
The decision regarding Fox will depend on his physical readiness and whether the Kings are still in contention. Walton said the Kings will keep pushing until they are eliminated from the race and multiple players have said they intend to win all of their remaining games.
“For now, we’re going to continue to play this thing out,” Walton said. “To me, like I’ve said this whole time, it’s important to me that we really continue to hit home on these habits and behaviors and playing a certain way and building momentum into the offseason.”
Fox came out of Kentucky as the No. 5 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He has taken another step toward stardom this season, averaging a career-high 25.2 points and 7.2 assists per game. He was twice named Western Conference Player of the Week and was a finalist for Player of the Month after averaging 29.3 points per game in April.
Despite the absences of Fox, Haliburton and Barnes, Sacramento (30-38) has won five of six to get with 2 1/2 games of the San Antonio Spurs for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. The Kings are also chas
ing the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies.
In order to reach the play-in tournament, the Kings will have to go 3-1 or 4-0 in their last four games with complete collapses from at least two of the three teams ahead of them. One win by Grizzlies or one loss by the Kings would put Memphis out of reach. Any combination of two San Antonio wins or Sacramento
losses would put the Spurs out of reach. Any combination of three New Orleans wins or Sacramento losses would prevent the Kings from passing the Pelicans.
The Kings are a long shot after squandering a big opportunity in a 113-104 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, but the scoreboard will be worth watching over the final week of the season if Sacramento beats Oklahoma City again Tuesday.
If the Grizzlies lose to the Pelicans on Monday and the Dallas Mavericks on
Tuesday, that would set up a huge back-to-back set between the Kings and Grizzlies on Thursday and Friday in Memphis.