De'Aaron Fox, Spurs Have to Make Same Decision as Luka Dončić

San Antonio traded for Fox at February's NBA Trade Deadline in a three-team deal that landed Zach LaVine next to DeMar DeRozan on the Sacramento Kings.

Since then, 2024 No. 4 overall pick Stephon Castle captured NBA Rookie of the Year honors and the Spurs lucked into the second pick of the 2025 NBA Draft to draft Dylan Harper. Suddenly, Fox isn't the only standout behind Wembanyama in San Antonio.

One Western Conference scout took that idea to the extreme.

"(Dylan Harper) has some (Manu) Ginóbili to his offensive game," they said. "If (his) 3-point shot ever becomes a true weapon, he makes Fox expendable and gives San Antonio a nice trade asset."

In short, Harper doesn't hold any leverage over Fox as a rookie. San Antonio is going to turn to its veteran point guard with an All-NBA résumé before it turns to its rookie, but neither player is to be discarded. It's the driving force behind the Spurs' positive outlook.

And the reason they're going to make sure Fox is paid.

Currently, the Spurs have one roster spot and two two-way contracts open after trading for Kelly Olynyk and signing Luke Kornet, Lindy Waters III.

They've also tendered qualifying offers to both Riley Minix and Harrison Ingram to return in two-way capacity, but those negotiations haven't resulted in signings to this point. Minix could be in the mix for the final standard deal

Additionally, Victor Wembanyama will become extension eligible next offseason, at which point he's to command a maximum rookie scale extension worth more than $300 million before eventually signing a supermax extension north of $500 million.

That said, Fox and Wembanyama's first extensions in San Antonio will run concurrently and hike up the price of the entire roster. The Spurs are well aware of that.

That's why Fox is going to become their first long-term investment of the Victor Wembanyama era — not counting Devin Vassell, who arrived prior to the Frenchman — a la Dončić in Los Angeles.