The San Antonio Spurs are in their first NBA Finals since 2014 against the New York Knicks.
Their future has already been solidified by the trio of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. The Spurs will have to lock Wemby pretty soon, while Castle and Harper are not far behind.
De’Aaron Fox is another important piece for the Spurs, which was solidified by his four-year, $221.8 million extension last summer.
But just like the Oklahoma City Thunder this offseason, the Spurs’ roster will be expensive in a couple of years. That means they might need to make a hard decision on Fox’s future with the franchise.
De’Aaron Fox Named as Potential Target for Brooklyn Nets
While there’s no urgency for the San Antonio Spurs to trade De’Aaron Fox this offseason, his performances in the playoffs have been subpar.
It led to Colin Simmons of Sports Illustrated naming Fox as a potential target for the Brooklyn Nets this summer if the Spurs want to part ways with him. Dylan Harper has been fantastic in the postseason, and there have been calls about starting him over Fox.
“Given Fox’s career as a talented play initiator and the fact that advanced metrics consistently rate him as a positive offensive impact player, the Nets should seriously consider making a bid this offseason,” Simmons wrote. “He fills their greatest need: a proven lead guard who can create effective offense for himself and his teammates.”
Simmons did make it clear that Fox’s struggles have nothing to do with his ability to play. He just doesn’t have the ball in his hands as much as he was used to with the Sacramento Kings.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that the Spurs managed to convince Manu Ginobili to come off the bench. Ginobili made a bigger impact as a sixth man en route to the Hall of Fame.
As for the Nets, Fox is a natural leader for a franchise looking to establish an identity in the middle of a rebuild.
Spurs Urged to Start Dylan Harper Over De’Aaron Fox
Dylan Harper has simply outplayed De’Aaron Fox during the San Antonio Spurs’ run to the NBA Finals. Harper and Fox are similar players, though the latter has the experience.
However, Harper has shown poise and star potential as a rookie on the biggest stage. That’s why Sam Quinn of CBS Sports has urged the Spurs to start Harper over Fox for the rest of the Finals.
“The Spurs’ faith in Fox has thus far been justified,” Quinn wrote. “But there are no second chances at this point in the schedule. San Antonio is three losses away from elimination against, when you factor in injuries, the best opponent they’ve faced this postseason. … If the versions of Harper and Fox we saw in Game 1 are who we can expect for the rest of the series, Harper should be starting. It’s time to win or lose with your best players.”
Game 2 of the NBA Finals is on Friday at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. The Spurs are down 1-0 to the Knicks.
Spurs Star De’Aaron Fox Named Potential Target For Nets This Offseason