De’Aaron Fox Is Quieting the Spurs’ Trade Talk - and Lighting Up Their Offense
It’s been a wild ride already this season for De’Aaron Fox - and we’re not even at the halfway point. The San Antonio Spurs guard missed all of preseason and the start of the regular season nursing a hamstring injury.
But when injuries hit Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama in back-to-back games, Fox was suddenly thrust into a leading role. And he hasn’t just filled the void - he’s owned it.
Fox has been every bit the max-contract player the Spurs hoped for, stepping in as the offensive engine during a stretch where San Antonio was missing its two most important young stars. In the NBA Cup semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Fox poured in 22 points and played a pivotal role in the Spurs clawing back from a 16-point deficit. His second-half performance helped flip the momentum and put San Antonio in control - no small feat against one of the league’s stingiest defenses.
And that’s the thing: if Fox can score like this against elite defensive units - even while teammates like Harrison Barnes are struggling to find rhythm - then one of the biggest questions hanging over the Spurs this season might already have its answer.
No Trade? No Problem.
Fox’s impact has been so significant that it’s already reshaping the Spurs’ outlook heading toward the trade deadline. What once looked like a roster in need of a major offensive shakeup now looks a lot more complete - and it’s largely because of Fox.
Since returning to the floor, Fox has elevated San Antonio’s offense in a way that few could’ve predicted. He’s not just filling in - he’s transforming the team’s identity on that end.
With Castle and Wembanyama sidelined, Fox took the reins and helped push the Spurs into the upper tier of NBA offenses. One of the biggest surprises?
He’s helping solve their long-standing 3-point shooting woes.
Fox is knocking down 38.8% of his 6.4 three-point attempts per game - a career-best clip that’s helped vault San Antonio into the top 10 in team 3-point percentage. This isn’t a hot streak.
It’s an evolution. And if you’ve been following Fox since his Sacramento days, you know this isn’t out of nowhere.
He was the catalyst behind the Kings’ historically efficient offense and their lone playoff appearance in nearly two decades. The guy has a track record of making teams go.
The Right Player, the Right Fit
What makes Fox so valuable to this current Spurs group is his ability to adapt. When Castle returns, Fox doesn’t need the ball in his hands every possession to be effective. He’s shown he can play off-ball, pick his spots, and still take over when the moment calls for it.
Take that third quarter against the Thunder. Fox dropped 11 points - more than a third of San Antonio’s output in the period - and did it with the kind of controlled aggression that defines great guards.
He doesn’t need to dominate all four quarters. He just needs to know when to dominate.
That ability to read the flow of the game and adjust accordingly is what makes him such a critical piece in making the Spurs’ three-guard lineup work.
He’s not stepping on toes. He’s complementing Castle’s playmaking and Wembanyama’s inside-out versatility. And when the offense stalls, he’s got the gear to rev it back up.
A Balanced Threat
If Fox continues to play at this level - spacing the floor, picking his spots, and elevating the players around him - San Antonio might not need to look outside the locker room for offensive answers. They might already have everything they need.
And once Castle and Wembanyama are fully healthy, the defensive side of the ball should follow. With those two anchoring the perimeter and the paint, the Spurs have the potential to re-enter the top 10 defensively. Combine that with an offense that’s suddenly clicking thanks to Fox’s leadership, and you’re looking at a team that could be one of the most balanced - and dangerous - in the league.
Fox isn’t just holding things together. He’s raising the ceiling. And as the Spurs eye a deep postseason run, that might be the biggest development of all.