Since finding out they would be drafting second in the 2025 NBA Draft, De’Aaron Fox's future with the San Antonio Spurs has been up in the air. If we're being honest, had the Spurs held off on trading for Fox until the summer, he likely wouldn't be on the team right now.
After all, a backcourt of Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle makes plenty of sense. Even so, the Spurs [have a star on their roster](https://airalamo.com/spurs-have-made-their-stance-de-aaron-fox-crystal-clear), and while there are long-term concerns about his fit, he gives the team a dramatic talent boost.
It was just three seasons ago that San Antonio entered the season with Tre Jones and Joshua Primo at point guard. Look at the Spurs now! Fox is an honest-to-goodness high-level point guard. At his best, he's a top-10 guard.
Spurs should take a "glass-half-full" view of Fox
-------------------------------------------------
San Antonio has made incremental improvement at their weakest position. Without Chris Paul, Fox will now have full rein of the offense and play more like he did in Sacramento.
While Paul did wonders for the team's shot quality, Fox plays much faster than Paul does, often getting the ball up the court in three or four seconds. Compare that to CP3, who would often walk the ball up the court.
The Spurs should play much faster as a result. Fox's excellence at driving into the paint should provide the team with a skill they haven't had at point guard since Dejounte Murray.
De'Aaron Fox gives the Spurs a new dimension
--------------------------------------------
Fox knifing his way into the paint and finishing with floaters, layups, and dunks gives the Spur an added dimension. Despite having Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs relied heavily on jumpshots last season.
But with Fox and hopefully Castle attacking the paint, the team could hopefully make a living scoring in the paint. That should make Wembanyama and company's life easier.
Especially if Wembanyama operates less as a stretch big man and more in the mid-range. Having Wemby set screens for Fox and hang out around 18 feet would open up higher-percentage shots for himself.
It would also make it easier for Wembanyama to put the ball on the floor, take a couple of dribbles, and finish at the rim before teams can swarm him in the paint. For Fox, the threat of Wembanyama as a dinosaur-sized release valve makes it harder for teams to trap or switch those pick-and-roll situations.
It doesn't take much of an advantage for Fox to exploit mismatches with his straight-line speed, size, and craftiness, allowing him to feast in those situations.
Fox can help the Spurs unlock an game-changing lineup
-----------------------------------------------------
Fox and Wembanyama being San Antonio's first and second options is obviously great to have. They could actually help each other get easier baskets, making them more valuable than they'd be without one another.
Yes, there are larger concerns about fit involving Fox, Castle, and Harper. However, the Spurs probably wouldn't have to make tough roster decisions regarding those three players for at least three seasons when Castle's potential extension kicks in.
That gives the team time to slowly work towards the goal of playing those three guards together with Wembanyama and see whether it would work. If it can, then the Spurs would have not one but three playmakers more than capable of creating shots for themselves and others.
That may not sound all that impressive, but it's hard to find a historical comp since it's so rare. Add in Wemby's presence as a game-changing two-way force and forget about it.
Ultimately, Spurs fans who are already focusing on the negatives surrounding Fox are getting ahead of themselves. Instead, they should be psyched to have Fox and have him paired with Wembanyama.