Jon Krawczynski is a fine writer for The Athletic, so I don't want to be too harsh here, but throwing De'Aaron Fox's name into potential trade talk speculation needs to stop. He hasn't played half a season in a Spurs uniform, yet, some feel inclined to continue pushing a narrative around San Antonio that doesn't exist.
Krawczynski answered a question via a mailbag article [focused on the Timberwolves](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6592958/2025/09/05/timberwolves-mailbag-jaden-mcdaniels-donte-divincenzo/). He was asked about potential trade deadline targets for Minnesota to address their point guard situation if it's not going well. His answer was, "Maybe the Spurs would part with De’Aaron Fox if things aren’t going well there, though the money would give me pause."
There are a couple of reasons why this isn't a good idea, so let me address them.
The Spurs don't need their players or their aging problem
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To make a trade like this work, the Timberwolves would have to include either Julius Randle or Rudy Gobert. Trading Rudy would greatly compromise their defense, and they've relied on that to get to the conference finals the last couple of years. And the Spurs already have a transcendent big man to anchor their defense.
There's no need to trade for a 33-year-old center who can't shoot when Luke Kornet is on the roster. The ex-Celtic is younger, cheaper, and has actual championship experience. Julius Randle is a couple of months from 31. So with either option, the Spurs would be sending away a point guard entering his prime at 27 for big men on the wrong side of 30 who can't shoot, and bring inconsistency on offense.
They have Jeremy Sochan for that. The hope is that Sochan improves on offense, and since he's only 22, he has a chance to do that. Randle and Gobert are finished products. They aren't getting any better, and Julius isn't a better defender than Sochan.
You could move him in the trade, too, but at that point, you're going from one of the youngest teams in the league with a long runway to an older team with more uncertainty for the future. You'd have less flexibility because it's harder to trade older, more expensive players, especially with the recently implemented CBA restrictions. So, to even say that _they_ would be the ones hesitant over money is wild to me.
The Spurs don't give up on players that quickly
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Swipa has played 17 games in a silver and black uniform, and most of them were without Victor Wembanyama. There is no way that this organization would trade Fox away in the very small window that he would even be eligible to be moved after half a year.
Because of when the extension was signed, D. Fox can't be traded until February 4, and the deadline is two days later. Things would have to be going horribly with the speedy point guard demanding a trade for that to happen. This just isn't the kind of franchise that will quickly cut bait with a player they made promises to after a few months.
The soonest I'd believe they'd even be willing to consider those discussions is next summer, after a full year, and even then, I find it unlikely. Unless, again, Fox was asking to be moved elsewhere. Since his list of trade destinations only consisted of San Antonio when he asked to be dealt from Sacramento, I find the chances of that to be incredibly slim.
People seem to forget that the Indiana Pacers just made it to the NBA Finals by playing lineups that often consisted of three guards. It's not some unheard-of strategy. A Spurs executive already confirmed they [want Fox on the team](https://airalamo.com/san-antonio-spurs-deaaron-fox-statement-clears-up-dylan-harper-rumor-trade) long-term. He's not available. Let's stop acting like it's inevitable that San Antonio ships him elsewhere to make room for unproven young players who don't require that to succeed.