De'Aaron Fox Trade Rumors San Antonio Spurs Dylan Harper
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After a massive missed layup and a few disappointing performances in the 2026 NBA Finals, San Antonio Spurs‘ point guard De’Aaron Fox was the subject of harsh criticism and subsequently mentioned in trade rumors throughout the offseason.
Along with Fox’s poor outings in the playoffs while dealing with an ankle injury, the quick rise of young guard Dylan Harper behind him in the depth chart has put the veteran guard’s future in San Antonio in question more than ever before, with many urging and believing it would be best for the Spurs to move on from the All-Star after his play in the postseason.
But while publicly, San Antonio has said they plan on keeping Fox for next season, that’s no guarantee he’s on the team this time next year, as trade rumors surrounding the 28-year-old have, and likely will continue, unless he proves worth his new contract extension.
De’Aaron Fox Put On Notice Amid NBA Trade Rumors
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 29: De’Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs in action during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Frost Bank Center on December 29, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Writing for Bleacher Report reacting to the Spurs’ offseason, Zach Buckley’s thoughts on the team’s summer were that ‘De’Aaron Fox has got to go.’
Fox isn’t new to trade rumors, as he’s been floated as a potential departure from San Antonio since the NBA Finals, and even since Harper proved himself as a potential All-NBA guard down the road. However, as Buckley recently wrote, if Fox can’t perform at a level that matches his upcoming four-year, $221 million contract extension, his status on the hot seat will only grow.
“The NBA Finals put the worst kind of spotlight onto Fox. He not only struggled in major moments, he also saw the player right behind him on the depth chart, last summer’s No. 2 pick Dylan Harper, succeed in such a way that everyone wondered why he wasn’t getting more minutes,” Buckley wrote. “The worst read on the situation painted Fox as a $221.7 million obstacle in San Antonio’s path.”
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Fox was also named by Bleacher Report as one of the NBA’s current point guards with the most to prove next season. Along with Harper breathing down his neck, Fox’s postseason play puts a question mark on if he can be the franchise guard for the team moving forward.
“Any rational view of San Antonio’s long-term future does not include the version of Fox we saw in the playoffs. Unless he puts together one of the best seasons of his career, it’ll become difficult to see him in the Spurs’ plans beyond this year,” Grant Hughes wrote.
Though Fox has made a strong impression as a top-level point guard through the first nine seasons of his NBA career, that doesn’t mean he is safe in San Antonio for the long-term.
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SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 23: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs shakes hands with De’Aaron Fox #4 during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Frost Bank Center on December 23, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Despite the Fox trade rumors, by all accounts, the Spurs have maintained that he will be a key piece of the team next season. Speaking earlier in the summer, general manager Brian Wright made that clear.
“We have the ultimate faith in De’Aaron and who he is as a player, what he’s been for us and what he means to this team,” Wright said. “And there’s no wavering in that at all…I know he’s approaching this summer as he can continue to improve.”
Even more so, according to two top Spurs insiders, Jared Weiss of The Athletic and Michael C. Wright of ESPN, San Antonio will continue to have Fox in the starting lineup over Harper next year.
“Multiple team and league sources said the Spurs still see Fox as a critical part of the team’s future,” Weiss wrote. “There is also an understanding, according to those sources, that Fox is not tradeable on his contract at the moment, and rehabbing his value with a good playoff performance next season will be crucial to an inevitable backcourt succession plan.”
The Spurs remain committed to De’Aaron Fox and believe they wouldn’t have made the Finals without him last season, per @mikecwright
“After Fox’s rough showing in the NBA Finals, team sources said the Spurs remain committed to the veteran, pointing out that San Antonio might
“Despite his struggles in the NBA Finals, Fox is expected to start opposite Stephon Castle in the backcourt with Harper coming off the bench. After Fox’s up-and-down performances during the NBA Finals, the team remains committed to the veteran,” Wright wrote.
Fox is entering the first year of his $221 million contract extension, set to earn $49.5 million in the 2026-27 campaign for the Spurs.
While that might not be a simple contract to trade, if Fox’s struggles continue, it’s easy to see San Antonio testing the trade market to see what younger assets they can get back for the guard. The front office might be committed to him right now, but as seen throughout the NBA, that can change at any point, especially if he continues to be what’s holding up the Spurs from making another title run with Victor Wembanyama, Castle, and Harper as their core.
So, for the time being, Fox appears to be safe. However, there might be a ticking clock on his time to prove himself in San Antonio, especially after his performances in the NBA Finals and when his team needed him most.