After what was an exciting start to the off-season, the San Antonio Spurs have been relatively quiet since then. That has led to concerns about the team's roster and how they will perform next season.
To their credit, they did add two lottery picks, an undervalued center, and, most recently, a veteran power forward to the roster, though they failed to address their lack of shooting. They currently have only three shooters projected to be in the rotation, though there's hope that Stephon Castle and Jeremy Sochan can improve in that regard.
Even so, fans have seemingly forgotten about De'Aaron Fox, who was acquired at last season's trade deadline. He only played 17 games before having season-ending surgery, leaving a lot left to be determined.
De’Aaron Fox was the Spurs' big pre-free agency move
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One way of looking at the offseason is that the Spurs already made their big move at the deadline to bring Fox in. The moves made after were simply to build out the roster around him and Victor Wembanyama.
[Adding Dylan Harper](https://airalamo.com/dylan-harper-landmark-selection-places-him-spurs-rarified-air) creates a bit of confusion with him being seen as a younger version of Fox. Still, Fox is a big get for the Spurs, and we have yet to see what he can fully do with the team.
The hope is that he can be a second option to Wembanyama, and while his numbers dipped after joining the Spurs, he seems perfectly suited for the role. With Fox, the Spurs played faster, with him pushing the pace, getting the ball up the court in three or four seconds.
Considering that the Spurs are one of the youngest teams in the NBA, playing faster might help them offset their lack of shooting. Fox frequently rates high in steals per game, and he, being paired with Stephon Castle in the backcourt, is sure to drum up plenty of turnovers, with them combining to average nearly 3.5 steals per game last season.
De'Aaron Fox gives Victor Wembanyama a true co-star
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Playing faster is one thing, but Fox's overall scoring ability is just what the Spurs need. Having a player who can consistently score in multiple ways, including off drives, hitting pull-ups, floaters, and the occasional three, should take some attention off Wembanyama. In fact, the two should work well together.
Wembanyama being able to knock down threes from the top of the 3-point line should make Fox much harder to stop in the pick-and-roll. Teams can't trap him because Wembanyama can make them pay by drilling deep threes.
Fox's speed also makes it hard for a big man to keep him from getting into the paint. Having a player who can get downhill and consistently put pressure on the rim is something the Spurs haven't had, and it leads to open shots on the perimeter.
The Spurs will almost certainly stagger minutes so one of Fox or Wembanyama is on the floor at all times. That should keep their offense from stagnating and keep the Spurs in the game and hopefully translate into more wins next season.
Ultimately, despite the addition of Harper, Fox will still be a crucial piece to this team's success. If he plays anything like he did in Sacramento, then the Spurs should be much better next season with both Fox and Wembanyama healthy.