At the 2025 trade deadline, the San Antonio Spurs traded for De’Aaron Fox, hoping he would make a great one-two punch with Victor Wembanyama. Yet, just months into his Spurs career, he might get traded elsewhere. After winning the No.2 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, the Spurs are at a crossroads.
De’Aaron Fox’s Time in San Antonio Might Come to an End
The Spurs jumped several positions in the 2025 NBA draft and wound up with the No.2 pick. The organization, known for its patient approach and development, will have to make a hard decision about what to do with the pick.
The Spurs front office will have to think long and hard about what to do with the pick. Looking at the prospects, Dylan Harper is the best player they can get with the second overall pick. The problem is that the Spurs already have Stephon Castle and Fox playing guards. Getting Harper would create a logjam at the point guard position, even more so if they decide to keep Chris Paul for one more year.
Harper would line up better with the age and growth of Wemby and Castle. Victor is 21 years old, Castle is 20, and Fox is already 27 years old. Yes, Fox is entering his prime, and Wembanyama has played better at his age than many would expect. But should the Spurs trade Fox and make room for Harper? Dylan is a talented player who has the potential to be a star. He is stronger, bigger, and eight years younger. Or should they stand pat? That is the question Popovich and the Spurs brass will have to answer leading up to the NBA draft.
What Can the Spurs Get in a De’Aaron Fox Trade?
The Spurs didn’t give up too much to get Fox in the first place. That would certainly make matters easier, since most teams often try to get equal value for a player they traded for. The good news is Fox is still young, in his prime years, and made the All-Star team three seasons ago.
They can either trade Fox to get back some assets or package him with some of their future draft picks for an even bigger fish, say, Giannis Antetokounmpo. There will be rumors about Giannis and the Spurs for the next few weeks. Some say that the Spurs might package the No.2 and the No.14 pick in the draft to get Giannis and compete right away.
The Wemby Challenge
The challenge for the Spurs is that they have a 21-year-old generational superstar who thinks he can compete for a championship right now. After the first season with the Spurs, he declared that he intends to win and hates losing. Then, after the 2024 Paris Olympics, Wembanyama said that he is coming for everyone. Trading away Fox and drafting Dylan Harper might add more years of competition in the long run. But in the short term, it would mean that the Spurs will have a hard time making the playoffs next season again.
Can they convince Victor that having Harper, a player who is closer in age to the Spurs’ core, would mean long-term success? We will have to wait and see. One thing is certain: the Spurs have plenty of options now that they won the No.2 pick in the 2025 Draft.
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