As the Miami Heat are connected to Sacramento Kings star De'Aaron Fox after reports of the guard possibly being moved ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, Bam Adebayo could be a key factor in the decision. The Heat were even favored at one point to acquire Fox with one of the reasons being the connection between himself and Fox.

The Miami Heat could enter the race to acquire Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox via trade this season or free agency next summer. "He played with Bam Adebayo [in college]," ESPN's Tim Bontemps said on the Brian Windhorst and The Hoop Collective podcast.

That’s because the Spurs — reportedly Fox’s preferred trade destination — currently have nine tradeable first-round picks that they can include in a deal to the Heat’s one tradeable first-round selection. San Antonio also has young talent such as Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell and others who it can add to any trade package for Fox.

A trade with the Sacramento Kings is reportedly not on the table for the Miami Heat as it relates to disgruntled veteran Jimmy Butler. Speaking Wednesday

ESPN's Shams Charania reports that several teams have been reaching out to Kings regarding De'Aaron Fox ahead of 2025 NBA trade deadline

As the trade deadline nears, one league source says more than half of the league’s teams have inquired about the 27-year-old Kings’ star.

While Fox would work as a fit for a Heat roster lacking a significant contribution at point guard since the declining play and then trade a year ago of Kyle Lowry, that math at the moment appears beyond the Heat’s means, unless Butler is part of such an equation.

Though the Kings star is making his future intentions clear, he's doing so while giving Sacramento a chance to fully evaluate the market.

In today's edition: The college GM arms race, five teams to watch ahead of the NBA trade deadline, January baseball, Embiid misses his 400th game, $300 million for one goal, and more. Manchester City nearly crashed out, but came from behind in the second half, and in the end, all European giants reached the knockout rounds of the Champions League.

“In this business, you have to put those emotions aside,” Fox said. “Obviously, everybody especially who were here during that long (postseason drought), and who was on this team when we made the playoffs, obviously that means a lot to everybody.

The Miami Heat could pursue a massive four-team deal with the San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns.