NBA writer and enthusiast Sam Vecenie made an interesting point on his Game Theory podcast with Bryce Simon. The Spurs must extend De'Aaron Fox sooner rather than later, and while that may seem obvious to some, it's not as simple as it sounds.
The former Kings guard is eligible for a three-year, $140 million extension. That's the one San Antonio should want their newly acquired floor general to sign. It gives them flexibility moving forward while securing his future in the 210. He doesn't have to sign it, though. If Fox were to wait until next offseason and he has an All-NBA season, he'd be up for a four-year, $226 million deal. That would be a problem.
Spurs should secure Fox at the right price and the time is now
Everything is coming together for the Spurs, but they'll need to remain vigilant as roster construction has never been more important. The CBA demands it. San Antonio is currently sitting pretty. NBA players are becoming more interested in heading down south to play next to Victor Wembanyama, and they have a stockpile of assets to either draft or go get the players they want.
With so many options, it's easy to end up going down the wrong path. Brian Wright has done a fantastic job getting the franchise to this point, but this job is never-ending. That means making sure the team is poised to step up in class while maintaining flexibility for the future. It's a complicated balancing act.
Dylan Harper will be a member of the San Antonio Spurs in just a few short days, so the number of playmakers on the team will reach capacity. Not only will they have Fox and Castle to join him, but Wembanyama is a playmaker in his own right, and the entire identity of the organization is about unselfishness.
We'll need Fox to exhibit that with a willingness to sign the deal this summer. If he decided he'd rather hold out for the larger deal, Wright may have to consider moving the speedy point guard. It's something I hadn't really considered up to this point.
I believe the guard trio of Fox/Castle/Harper can work, unlike others watching the Spurs' fortunes unfold with a skeptical eye, so moving Sacramento's former franchise player didn't even register for me. The notion was immediately dismissed when raised by critics.
This, however, would change my opinion. If Fox insisted on the bigger bag, it would compromise the team's ability to do what's best for the roster. That's not even the kind of player we want in uniform. Whether he and the Spurs can come to an agreement this summer will tell us a lot about what the future may hold.
I find it hard to believe the front office would feel differently about these prospects than what I just laid out. In short, if Fox signs a deal this summer, everything is copacetic, but if not, I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the trade block.