The San Antonio Spurs are not expected to move on from De’Aaron Fox this season, but there is one scenario where the phone starts ringing again: he plays his way back into real trade value.
Right now, that feels like a long shot. Fox’s value took a hit after a rough showing in the Finals, and the market for him is not exactly buzzing as he heads into the first season of a four-year maximum contract. That combination makes him a difficult player to shop, even before you get to the question of whether teams around the league are eager to take him on.
At the same time, the Spurs have not treated Fox like a short-term rental. They still view him as part of their long-term plan, even if they eventually have to create room for Dylan Harper.
That decision, according to the reporting, is still three years away. For now, San Antonio is comfortable rolling with what it believes is the best guard room in the league.
That creates the real wrinkle. If Fox struggles, his trade value stays buried. If he bounces back, the Spurs run into a different problem: why trade him at all?
There is an argument for opening more minutes for Harper, but with Fox, Harper, and Stephon Castle all under contract long term, the Spurs have no immediate need to force the issue. The situation only becomes more complicated if Fox rebuilds his reputation, because even then the contract remains a major obstacle for any team interested in making a deal.
As Heavy’s Sean Deveney wrote, "It will be tough to trade a guy with four years and $221 million on his upcoming contract, he does figure to crop back up in NBA trade rumors if, in fact, he plays well coming out of the gate," He added, "He does not have a long-term future in San Antonio, but he does have a long-term contract."
So the path is narrow. Fox would need to look like himself again, keep it going into the playoffs, and somehow make San Antonio reconsider a player it already values.
If that happens, the Spurs may have an asset worth moving. But it also could mean they have too much guard talent to justify ever letting him go.
In Other News...
Spurs Suddenly Have A Tobias Harris Question That Actually Matters
Tobias Harris landed in San Antonio on a two-year, $31 million deal in July, giving the Spurs another veteran forward to plug into a roster trying to make the most of its recent run to the NBA Finals. At 34, Harris arrives after two seasons with Detroit, where he remained a steady scoring and rebounding presence and posted averages of 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists last season.
The fit matters because the Spurs are no longer just collecting talent around Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox, they are trying to shape a rotation that can hold up in real games. Harris is expected to be part of that mix, and early offseason work has already started to show how the new pieces are being blended together, with the Spurs keeping a close eye on how a veteran like Harris meshes with familiar names and a group still figuring out its pecking order. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Rookie Fit Next To Wemby Suddenly Carries One Big Concern
Jayden Quaintance arrived with the kind of tools that can make Spurs fans dream about a long-term frontcourt pairing next to Victor Wembanyama. He is widely viewed as a promising defender with real athletic upside, and his profile makes sense for a team that always wants length, activity and switchability around its star. Even with the setbacks that have already followed him, the idea of what he could become in San Antonio is still easy to see.
The concern now is less about the fit and more about the timeline. Quaintance is expected to miss extended time this season because of knee injuries, which clouds when he can actually start building that case on the floor. And while the defensive potential is there, his offensive game remains a work in progress, so his eventual impact will depend not just on getting healthy, but on how much development he can show once he finally gets a run of consistent basketball. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Face A Tough Dylan Harper Decision They Can't Avoid
The Spurs already have one of the leagues trickier backcourt puzzles on their hands, and it revolves around whether DeAaron Fox or Dylan Harper should be the long-term answer at point guard. Harpers rookie season gave San Antonio a look at his talent, but it also showed how carefully the staff managed his minutes while the team leaned on a strong four-man foundation around Victor Wembanyama and the rest of the core.
Looking ahead to 2026-27, the challenge is no longer just about getting Harper on the floor, but about finding the right minutes and combinations that let him grow without disrupting what has already worked. More time with the starters is the obvious next step in his development, and it may also be the clearest sign of where the Spurs see him fitting once this backcourt decision gets serious. [Read more 🡒]