The Spurs’ disappointing five-game loss to the Knicks has already sparked some loud offseason chatter, and one of the biggest questions centers on De’Aaron Fox. In a Finals series where San Antonio held the lead for much of the way, Fox was not nearly as effective as the team needed, and Dylan Harper’s numbers were better.
That gap has only fueled the push for a different direction in the backcourt. NBA reporter Evan Sidery pointed to the impact of Harper alongside Victor Wembanyama, writing, “The Spurs are outscoring the Knicks by 15.3 points per 100 possessions when Dylan Harper shares the court with Victor Wembanyama. Needing to win three of the next four to force a Game 7 in the NBA Finals, it’s time to bench De’Aaron Fox in favor of Wembanyama’s long-term option,”
The idea of Stephon Castle and Harper becoming San Antonio’s next starting guards has also gained traction. Charles Barkley went even further in his praise of the pair.
“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,” Barkley said.
If the Spurs lean into that youth movement, Fox could become a trade chip. Heavy.com’s Sai Mohan floated a massive deal that would send Fox, Luke Kornet, Keldon Johnson, Carter Bryant and picks to the Mavericks in exchange for Kyrie Irving, PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford and Caleb Martin.
“Spurs would receive: Kyrie Irving, PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Caleb Martin. Mavericks would receive: De’Aaron Fox, Keldon Johnson, Luke Kornet (via NTMLE), Carter Bryant (via TPE), 2027 1st-round pick (via ATL), 2028 1st-round pick (via SAS), 2027 2nd-round pick (via SAS), 2028 2nd-round pick (via NOP),” Mohan wrote.
On paper, that kind of swap would reshape San Antonio fast. Irving would bring a proven point guard to guide Castle and Harper, while Gafford and Washington would add a different kind of size and flexibility next to Wembanyama. Mohan’s package also includes Caleb Martin, and the three veteran additions - Irving, Gafford and Washington - have combined to make $457 million in their careers.
In Other News...
Spurs Linked To Risky Veteran Move That Could Reshape The Backcourt
A speculative trade idea has put the Spurs in an unexpectedly tricky corner, one that speaks to how aggressively this front office is still trying to shape its backcourt. The mock proposal would reroute De'Aaron Fox and Luke Kornet to Dallas in exchange for Kyrie Irving and Daniel Gafford, a deal designed on paper to address salary concerns and roster needs for both teams while also changing the look of San Antonio's guard rotation in a major way.
The appeal is obvious enough if you are chasing talent, but the risk is built right into the concept. Irving is working his way back from a torn ACL and has been out of NBA action for more than a year, which makes any conversation about his fit in San Antonio feel as much about patience and uncertainty as it does about upside. For now, it is only a mock trade and nothing has been confirmed by either team, but it is the kind of proposal that invites plenty of debate about how far the Spurs should go to reshape the roster. [Read more 🡒]
De'Aaron Fox Just Reached A Defining Point With The Spurs
De'Aaron Fox arrives in San Antonio at a point in his career where the conversation is no longer just about talent, but about what comes next. After helping drag Sacramento out of a long playoff drought, he has been traded to the Spurs with the kind of expectations that usually follow a player who has already shown he can change a franchises trajectory. At 29, Fox is no longer in the phase where upside is the headline, and the Spurs are banking on him to be a star-level presence as they try to build something bigger.
For Fox, this is also a chance to reshape how his career is remembered. The pressure that followed his Finals showing has only sharpened the sense that his next chapter matters, and San Antonio gives him a new stage to answer it. If he can settle in quickly and become part of a winning core, the move could mean more than a fresh start. It could become the bridge to another turnaround, and possibly the defining stretch of his career. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Core Debate Just Took A Surprising De'Aaron Fox Turn
The Spurs have been building around a young core that already includes Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, and the conversation around De'Aaron Fox has only sharpened as the roster takes shape. Even after criticism followed a rough NBA Finals showing, San Antonio has continued to treat Fox as more than a temporary fit, viewing him as an important piece of what the franchise is trying to do now and down the line.
Stephon Castle added a revealing layer to that picture when he discussed the team's inner circle, framing Fox as part of the same core group with himself and Harper. It is the kind of detail that says as much about the locker room climate as it does about the roster construction, with the Spurs projecting confidence and a family-like environment even as outside debate keeps circling one of their most established guards. [Read more 🡒]