The San Antonio Spurs are being linked to a bold move that would send De'Aaron Fox out and bring Kyrie Irving in.
USA Today’s Wajih AlBaroudi floated the idea of Irving as a fit in San Antonio, pointing to Fox’s struggles in the NBA Finals and Irving’s track record when the pressure spikes. As AlBaroudi put it, “De'Aaron Fox was abysmal when it mattered most in the NBA Finals, so it'd be hard to blame the Spurs from moving on at point guard.
Irving has championship experience with the Cleveland Cavaliers and isn't afraid to take the big shot in the biggest moment. He'd be a perfect complement to Victor Wembanyama,”
That kind of move would also put Irving in position to mentor a pair of young guards the Spurs are expected to lean on in Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle. Both are viewed as future stars, and the idea of adding a veteran like Irving would give them a proven voice in the backcourt.
Charles Barkley offered a big statement on the pair, saying, “If I’m a guard in the NBA, I do not want to see them boys the next 10 years. They’re going to be the new Steph and Klay,”
The buzz around Irving isn’t happening in a vacuum, either. The Mavericks are reportedly taking their time before making any decisions on their roster, with the first several games of the season potentially shaping Irving’s future in Dallas.
“The Mavericks, as we've been writing since mid-June, have consistently swatted away trade interest this offseason in nine-times-an-All-Star guard Kyrie Irving. Rival teams, however, continue to wonder aloud about how firmly Dallas will stick to that stance once the season begins and the next in-season trade deadline on Feb. 11 gradually approaches.
The primary factor fueling that curiosity, of course, is that fact that Irving is 34 and Mavericks star forward Cooper Flagg is 19. Not your average age gap between the team's two best players," The Stein Line's Marc Stein wrote.
Irving, who has earned $347 million in his career, would bring championship experience to a Spurs team trying to take its next step. Last season, that was one thing they did not have.
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For Johnson, the path forward appears narrower than it once did. He should still bring the durability and pace the Spurs value, yet his minutes could be trimmed as the team sorts out its wing and forward group around Devin Vassell and Carter Bryant. In a rotation that keeps getting deeper, Johnsons role may not disappear, but it is no longer as secure as it looked earlier in the offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Rotation Shift Could Squeeze Out A Familiar Veteran
The Spurs are preparing to lean harder on Dylan Harper this season, a move that could quickly reshape the backcourt and wing rotation around him. San Antonio wants Harper on the floor more often, with minutes that could look more like those of established pieces such as De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, and that kind of rise naturally squeezes the rest of the depth chart.
Among the players most affected is Keldon Johnson, whose role already feels a little more vulnerable as the roster gets younger and the ball starts moving toward different hands. Harrison Barnes is also in the mix as someone who could lose run, and Johnson's place in the long-term picture only adds to the intrigue with his contract situation still looming. [Read more 🡒]