I’m pretty sure that when the San Antonio Spurs heard Dylan Harper say he wasn’t planning on being a bench player this season, at least for a moment, they went full panic mode. De’Aaron Fox was supposed to be that missing piece for them, but they’ve suddenly found two young guards who already look on their way to stardom.
Coming off a massive 62-win season and a trip all the way to the NBA Finals, keeping this core together makes total sense. But at the same time, when you look at how this backcourt is shaping up, you have to ask some serious questions. Stephon Castle just took a massive leap into a genuine All-Star candidate, Harper needs real, high-volume minutes to grow into his potential, and Fox is about to enter a four-year extension worth around $229M.
Fox was super solid for San Antonio last regular season, posting averages of 18.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 6.2 assists across 72 games while shooting 48.6% from the field and 33.2% from three. He pressures the paint at will, pushes the tempo in transition, and has shown a real ability to manipulate defenses to get Victor Wembanyama clean looks near the rim.
Sure, his playoff numbers took a sharp hit, down to 41.4% from the field and a rough 29.4% from deep, but that is just a single postseason sample size rather than a full indictment of his skill set. Still, between his future salary ($49.5M in 2026-27 rising all the way to $61.4M in his final year) and San Antonio’s looming roster puzzle, the debate on his long-term fit is very real.
So, given the Spurs’ upcoming headache with their guard rotation, here is a deep dive into how these four potential trade packages could end the Fox experiment to let their young guys blossom.
1. The Spurs Pay The Price For Financial Room
San Antonio Spurs receive: Darius Garland
Los Angeles Clippers receive: De’Aaron Fox, 2029 First-Round Pick (SAS)
Bill Simmons floated a version of this package back in September, suggesting a scenario where San Antonio sends Fox alongside draft capital over to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Darius Garland. On paper, asking the Spurs to throw in their own 2029 first-round pick might sound strange at first glance: why would the team sending the superior, more proven scorer give up a pick? But the logic comes down entirely to contract structure and financial commitments.
The Clippers would be taking on the massive, longer-term back end of Fox’s deal, which scales up to $61.4M in 2029-30. Meanwhile, Garland’s contract is shorter and significantly cheaper ($42.2M in 2026-27 and $44.9M in 2027-28 before he hits free agency). In this framework, the 2029 pick acts as the cost for Los Angeles absorbing that extra contract length and financial risk, rather than a bonus for Garland’s individual trade value.
From a pure basketball fit, Garland makes a ton of sense next to Wembanyama. Last season, Garland averaged 18.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists while shooting 45.1% from the floor and 36.0% from three. He is a pure, classic floor general with elite deep-range gravity and high-level pick-and-roll vision. On offense, he would give San Antonio a guard who doesn’t need to dominate the ball to be effective, leaving more driving lanes open for Castle and Harper while consistently feeding Wemby in optimal post and pop positions.
The major hesitation for San Antonio is health and availability. Garland was limited to just 45 games last season after undergoing surgery on his left big toe. Trading away a durable All-Star guard and attaching a 2029 pick for a player with recent injury concerns is a massive gamble.
For the Clippers, who finished a disappointing 42-40 and missed the postseason, Fox gives them an explosive downhill creator who can completely transform a weird franchise that just got stripped of five future firsts. But for the Spurs, this deal only works if their front office is 100% convinced that Garland’s woes are completely behind him and that clearing long-term cap space justifies sacrificing a future draft asset.
2. Orlando Gets An Elite Guard To Make Noise Out East
San Antonio Spurs receive: Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter Jr., 2031 First-Round Pick (ORL)
Orlando Magic receive: De’Aaron Fox
The Orlando Magic are in a very specific tier right now: they are good enough to contend for top playoff spots in the East, but their offensive ceiling keeps holding them back. They finished 45-37, secured the 8th seed, and pushed Detroit to seven games in the first round before ultimately getting eliminated due to half-court scoring droughts.
They already have high-level talent in Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Desmond Bane, but they desperately lack a fast, downhill point guard who can collapse defenses before their star forwards are forced into tough, contested mid-range jumpers. Fox’s ability to crack the paint at will gives Orlando the exact offensive engine they’ve been missing.
In return, the Spurs bring back a dream defensive fit in Jalen Suggs. Suggs posted 13.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in 57 games last season while adding 1.8 steals per game on 43.5/33.9 shooting splits. Suggs is an absolute dog on the ball and one of the most versatile guard defenders in the entire league.
Because he doesn’t demand high ball-usage to impact the game, he can seamlessly slide into a backcourt alongside Stephon Castle or Dylan Harper. Suggs would take on the toughest point guard assignment every single night, letting Castle and Harper share primary playmaking duties without forcing either of them into the tougher, energy-consuming defensive matchups.
To balance out the salaries, the Spurs also acquire Wendell Carter Jr. (11.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists). Carter gives San Antonio a physical, skilled center who can anchor the interior, set hard screens, and stretch his shot out to the perimeter when needed. Pairing Carter with Wembanyama allows Wemby to roam freely on defense and play more minutes at power forward without taking a physical beating from opposing heavy centers every night.
On the draft pick front, Orlando’s pick situation is slightly complicated due to the blockbuster deal they made to acquire Desmond Bane from Memphis (which cost them their 2028 and 2030 first-round picks). That makes their 2031 pick the cleanest, most valuable draft asset they can offer.
This package gives San Antonio an elite perimeter defender, a starting-caliber big man, and a prime future pick, making it easily the most balanced on-court package out of all four options.
3. The Rockets Add Even More Juice To The Lineup
San Antonio Spurs receive: Jabari Smith Jr., Fred VanVleet, 2028 First-Round Pick (HOU)
Houston Rockets receive: De’Aaron Fox
The Houston Rockets are coming off an impressive 52-30 season where they locked up the 5th seed in the Western Conference. However, even with Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson driving their core, they could still use a legitimate speed merchant in the backcourt.
Fox would give Houston a dynamic guard who can push transition, run lethal high pick-and-rolls with Sengun, and draw secondary help defenders away from Durant on the wing. His 6.2 assists per game would immediately organize Houston’s half-court sets when defenses overcommit to KD, something they desperately needed this season.
For San Antonio, the crown jewel of this trade is 22-year-old forward Jabari Smith Jr., coming off a strong season where he averaged 15.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 45.0% from the field and 36.3% from three. At 6-foot-11 with a long wingspan, Smith is a natural floor-spacer who can knock down open jumpers, switch across multiple positions on defense, and grab some hard rebounds.
Pairing Smith Jr. with Wembanyama would give the Spurs a ridiculously long, defensively versatile frontcourt capable of shooting from anywhere on the floor and locking down the paint with their rotate-heavy defensive scheme.
Fred VanVleet serves as the core financial piece to make the salaries align, but his presence carries some real mystery. VanVleet missed the entire 2025-26 season after suffering a torn right ACL, meaning he comes with zero recent game tape. He is set to earn about $25.0M in 2026-27, which (combined with Smith’s $23.6M) matches Fox’s $49.5M salary almost perfectly. If VanVleet returns healthy, he gives the Spurs a high-IQ, championship-tested veteran who can mentor Castle and Harper. If he struggles to regain his form, his contract is expiring, giving San Antonio some huge flexibility moving forward.
Add in Houston’s own 2028 first-rounder**,** and the Spurs walk away with a premium young forward, a future draft pick, and a cleaner long-term cap sheet. It is a massive price tag for Houston, but if they view Fox as the missing piece to compete for a championship alongside KD, it’s a gamble they might be willing to take.
4. Miami Goes All-In Around Giannis
San Antonio Spurs receive: Andrew Wiggins, Nikola Jović, 2029 First-Round Pick (MIA)
Miami Heat receive: De’Aaron Fox
The Miami Heat completely altered the NBA landscape by pulling off the blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. With Giannis and Bam Adebayo forming the most terrifying interior defensive duo in the league, Miami’s missing piece is a quick guard who can capitalize on the massive gravity those two create.
Fox wouldn’t have to carry the entire scoring burden; he would simply need to use his electric speed to attack downhill, collapse defenses, and kick the ball out to open shooters or drop off easy passes to Giannis rolling to the rim.
To make the money work, San Antonio takes back Andrew Wiggins and Nikola Jović. Wiggins averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists last season, providing solid 3-and-D wing play without needing high ball usage. Jović (7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists) remains an intriguing 23-year-old developmental forward who has great passing instincts and fluid perimeter scoring for his size. Together, their combined 2026-27 salaries sit at approximately $46.4M, fitting right next to Fox’s $49.5M salary.
From San Antonio’s perspective, this is undeniably the weakest package in terms of raw star power coming back. Wiggins is 31 and doesn’t fit the core timeline of Castle, Harper, and Wembanyama, while Jović is still a work in progress. One future pick feels like a light return for an All-Star guard, even after a tough playoff outing.
This offer only becomes appealing to San Antonio if their main objective is breaking Fox’s massive single contract into medium-sized, tradeable wing contracts while picking up a future pick along the way, which, in all honesty, may end up becoming the most realistic scenario down the road.
Final Verdict
While the Clippers offer has drawn public attention due to Bill Simmons’ comments, the Magic proposal stands out as the absolute best fit for San Antonio. Jalen Suggs provides elite, low-usage perimeter defense that complements Stephon Castle perfectly, Wendell Carter Jr. offers a great pairing next to Wembanyama, and they even get a pick after getting rid of Fox’s huge deal.
However, there is zero reason for San Antonio to rush into anything right now. Fox played a pivotal role in leading this team to 62 wins and an NBA Finals appearance, and one cold shooting stretch in the playoffs doesn’t negate his talent.
The smartest move for the Spurs front office is to start the season with their current roster and see how the backcourt dynamic plays out on the floor. Give Fox, Castle, and Harper real minutes together to see if they can share ball-handling duties without stifling anyone’s growth.
If the spacing feels too cramped and the guard logjam becomes a real issue, Orlando should be the very first call they make. But if the group clicks, keeping Fox gives San Antonio their absolute highest ceiling to compete for a championship right now.