San Antonio’s brutal Finals loss to the Knicks left plenty of questions about De’Aaron Fox’s future, but the front office isn’t wavering.
Despite a historic collapse and a nightmare shooting slump on the league’s biggest stage, the Spurs are standing firmly behind their star point guard heading into next season.
Front Office Stays Loyal De’Aaron Fox
GettySpurs Have Firm De’Aaron Fox Stance Despite Finals Struggles
According to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright, the Spurs remain committed to Fox and believe they never would have reached the Finals without him.
“After Fox’s rough showing in the NBA Finals, team sources said the Spurs remain committed to the veteran, pointing out that San Antonio might have never reached the Finals without the point guard’s contributions while playing on a high right ankle sprain,” Wright reported.
Sources also indicated the decision between Fox and rookie Dylan Harper for the starting job ultimately belongs to coach Mitch Johnson, and will be settled on the court rather than in a front-office memo.
A Finals Run Gone Wrong
GettyDe’Aaron Fox Gets Major Commitment From Spurs After Finals
Fox battled through a high ankle sprain suffered against Minnesota in the second round, then aggravated it again against Oklahoma City in the Western Conference finals, missing multiple games before gutting through the championship series.
The damage showed: Fox shot just 34.2% from the field and 25% from three across the five-game Finals loss to New York, finishing at 24-of-70 overall. The lowest point came in Game 4, when San Antonio blew a 29-point lead at Madison Square Garden. With the Spurs up one and the clock winding down, Fox attempted a layup instead of dribbling out the clock, only to be blocked by OG Anunoby, who then hit the game-winning tip-in to complete the historic comeback.
Critics piled on for his passive fourth-quarter numbers across the series, and Game 5’s 3-of-15 shooting night only intensified the noise around his fit as a franchise cornerstone.
Fox’s Contract Ties Him To San Antonio Long Term
GettySan Antonio Spurs Deliver Strong Message on De’Aaron Fox After Finals
None of the Finals scrutiny changes the financial reality. Fox signed a four-year, $229 million max extension with San Antonio last summer, keeping him under contract through the 2029-30 season with no player option in the final year.
That deal came together months after the Spurs pulled off the trade that brought Fox over from Sacramento at the deadline. He picked San Antonio as his preferred destination, and the front office wasted no time locking him in as a long-term piece next to Victor Wembanyama.
There is no easy exit here even if the front office wanted one. Fox is guaranteed the money regardless of how the Harper battle plays out, and San Antonio has already bet its immediate future on the pairing working. The Finals stumble stings, but the roster and the ledger both say the Spurs are staying the course with Fox as their point guard.
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