The San Antonio Spurs made a significant move this offseason regarding one of their stars, De’Aaron Fox.
The San Antonio Spurs and De’Aaron Fox agreed to a four-year extension worth $229 million, giving the point guard a maximum contract.
This deal ended speculation about Fox’s future with San Antonio. Some analysts previously warned the Spurs against offering Fox a contract extension, including ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Gilbert Arenas suggested the Spurs should trade Fox and build exclusively around Victor Wembanyama and their young core. However, the front office decided differently, committing maximum money to retain their point guard.
Fox arrived in San Antonio last season through a three-team trade that sent Zach LaVine to Sacramento as his replacement.
During his brief tenure with the Spurs, Fox averaged 19.7 points, 6.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game across just 17 appearances. While a limited sample size, it provided enough evidence for San Antonio to commit long-term.
The new contract structure particularly appealed to the Spurs, as it doesn’t include a player option that would allow Fox to leave early.
“I’m told there’s no player option in this deal, so he will be there. This is a two way commitment that the Spurs make,” reported Shams Charania.
The partnership between Fox and Wembanyama factored heavily into the organization’s decision-making process. Their relationship will anchor the franchise’s future plans.
“That relationship between Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, very important. Those are the two leaders of this young core moving forward that keeps De’Aaron Fox there long term,” Charania added.
The contract extension has generated criticism within the NBA community. Many believe the financial commitment exceeds Fox’s actual value and market worth.
Critics also point to roster overlap with Dylan Harper, the second overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and Stephon Castle, the reigning Rookie of the Year. Both players can handle similar responsibilities as Fox.
“Fox is not a max level point guard on any team, and in San Antonio he has overlapping skills with Castle and Harper,” NBA journalist Kevin O’Connor wrote, highlighting the positional redundancy.
Fan reactions reflected similar concerns about the decision’s timing and logic given their draft investments.
“That’s like the first bad move the Spurs have made in a while, IMO,” one supporter commented, suggesting the organization broke from their typically sound decision-making.
“They have Harper,” another fan noted, while others pointed out the waste of resources given their recent draft selection.
Having multiple options at the same position can benefit some teams through depth and competition. However, it could also create obstacles for developing young talent if playing time becomes limited.
The Spurs’ preference for Fox might negatively impact Harper and Castle’s development opportunities. Reduced minutes could slow their growth or force uncomfortable position changes.
Alternatively, the competition could accelerate everyone’s improvement through internal pressure and versatile lineup options. The actual outcome will depend on coaching staff management and player adaptation.
