Kristina Roberts
The San Antonio Spurs have surprised many people by giving De’Aaron Fox a huge new contract. The deal is worth $229 million for four years, showing how much the team believes in him. They think he can return to being one of the best players in the league and become a strong partner for their rising star, Victor Wembanyama.
De’Aaron Fox is known for his speed, skill, and ability to lead a team. The Spurs are clearly hoping that he will not only help them win games but also guide younger players like Dylan Harper, who was recently picked in the draft. But at the same time, some people are wondering if this big decision might bring trouble in the future.
Let’s understand both the good and the not-so-good sides of this deal.
On the not-so-bright side, there are a few concerns. One main issue is Fox’s shooting ability. He is not a great long-distance shooter, which is something many basketball teams rely on in today’s game. The Spurs need to make sure their best player, Wembanyama, has enough space on the court. If Fox can’t shoot well from far away, it could make it harder for Wembanyama to play his best game.
Also, Fox’s new salary will take up about 30% of the team’s budget. That’s a lot of money. In the current NBA world, teams need to be careful with every dollar they spend. If Fox doesn’t continue to play at a high level, his value could go down, and the team might find it hard to trade him or make other important moves.
Another point people are talking about is the age gap. Fox is 27 years old, while Wembanyama is just 21. That’s a six-year difference. In the beginning, it may not matter much, but later on, it might cause problems. For example, if Fox starts getting slower or injured as he gets older, Wembanyama might still be in his prime. That could mess up the team’s long-term plan.
To understand how this could go wrong, let’s look at another NBA team — the Milwaukee Bucks. They had Giannis Antetokounmpo as their young star. But the players around him, like Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, got older and less effective. Their contracts made it hard for the Bucks to bring in new players, and the team started to suffer. The Spurs might face a similar problem if they don’t plan carefully.
Now, let’s look at the bright side.
Even with all these worries, there are strong reasons why the Spurs went ahead with this big decision. De’Aaron Fox is an amazing athlete. He has scored an average of 21.5 points throughout his career and is known for his lightning-fast moves on the court. He can defend well, too — something that wasn’t always noticed when he played for the Sacramento Kings for nearly eight years.
But Fox isn’t just about scoring and defense. He is also a true point guard. That means he knows how to run the team, pass the ball to the right players, and make sure everyone gets involved. If one of his teammates hasn’t touched the ball for a while, Fox notices and makes sure to get them into the game. That’s a skill not every player has.
People who know him say that he’s a great leader and communicates very well with his teammates. This kind of leadership can really help a young team like the Spurs. For someone like Dylan Harper, learning from a player like Fox could be very helpful in growing as a leader and understanding how to lead a team on the court.
Another smart thing the Spurs can do with Fox is make sure that either he or Wembanyama is always on the court. That way, the team always has one top-level player leading the game, even when the other is resting. This gives the Spurs a better chance of staying competitive during all parts of a game.
Now, if we look at the bigger picture, opinions are divided. Some fans and experts think this contract is too much for a player who has only made the All-Star team once. Others believe that Fox is more valuable than people realize and that this deal will prove to be a smart investment.
One reason for this doubt is that not all good players are superstars. Fox is excellent, but he hasn’t yet shown that he can carry a team to the top by himself. Paying a huge amount of money to someone who isn’t a superstar can sometimes create problems. If the team can’t afford to bring in other good players because of one expensive contract, it could slow down their growth.
There’s also the fact that Victor Wembanyama will be getting his own big extension soon, possibly in 2027. Once that happens, the Spurs will have even less room to spend on other players. So, the team has to be very sure that both Fox and Wembanyama can work well together and lead the Spurs to success.
At the end of the day, this deal shows that the Spurs believe in Fox — not just as a player, but as a leader, teammate, and role model. They think he’s the right person to help guide a young team and play side by side with Wembanyama. It’s a bold move, and only time will tell if it’s the right one.
Maybe this deal looks risky today, but if Fox stays healthy and continues to grow, it could be a turning point for the team. On the other hand, if things don’t go as planned, the Spurs may find themselves stuck — just like the Bucks once were.
So, what do you think? Will this big bet on De’Aaron Fox lead the Spurs to greatness? Or will it cause more problems down the line? Only the future holds the answer.
