It’s already been a roller coaster season for San Antonio Spurs star De’Aaron Fox. Fox missed all of the preseason and the start of the regular season with a hamstring injury. He was then thrust into a starring role after Stephon Castle and Wembanyama went down with injuries and back-to-back games.
Fortunately, Fox has more than lived up to his max contract thus far, with him having carried the Spurs offensively during their absence. In their NBA Cup semi-finals game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Fox chipped in 22 points and was key to the Spurs overcoming a 16-point deficit and taking the lead in the second half.
If Fox can score effectively against an historic defense, even as some of his teammates, i.e., Harrison Barnes, struggle, then the Spurs’ biggest question mark has suddenly been answered.
De’Aaron Fox is making a Spurs trade deadline move less likely
Fox has had a shockingly large impact on the Spurs’ offense this season, even after a late start. That minimizes the team’s need to make a big trade while helping San Antonio realize their full offensive potential.
Without two of the team’s best players, Fox carried the Spurs. He’s helped their offense reach elite levels, with him even solving their 3-point concerns. He’s drilling 38.8% of his 6.4 threes per game, resulting in the team surprisingly ranking in the top 10 in 3-point percentage.
It’s not a fluke either. When he was with the Sacramento Kings, he led them to the best offensive rating in NBA history and their only trip to the playoffs in the last 19 seasons.
The Spurs don’t need a trade to fix their offense thanks to Fox
Put the ball in his hands, and put enough shooting around him, and watch your offense thrive. Even with him now playing off-ball more alongside Castle, he has shown that he can still take over in spurts.
In the third quarter against the Thunder, he chipped in 11 points, scoring more than one-third of the team’s points that quarter. That has been a recurring theme with him, often having big quarters rather than scoring consistently throughout the game.
Generally, that would be a bad thing, but it shows that he can pick his spots, ceding shots to Castle and Wembanyama early, before turning it on once they and the team are established offensively. Him knowing when to step back and when to step up makes him crucial to San Antonio making the 3-guard trio coexist along with Wembanyama.
If Fox can help the Spurs utilize their guard trio while also helping Wembanyama get easier shots, then they could have all they need offensively. Defensively, with Castle and Wembanyama back, the team should quickly return to the top 10, potentially making them one of the most balanced teams in the NBA and a legit championship threat.