De'Aaron Fox confirms multiple worst fears in Spurs Slash Bros bailout

The game we all just watched had a silver and black ending due to the brilliance of Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle, but there's a huge elephant in the room that deserves addressing. De'Aaron Fox arrived in San Antonio with a reputation for putting up big offensive numbers, and he just so happens to be in the prime of his career at 28 years old. So, where's that production when the Spurs need it most?

Fox shot 44% from the field, 17% from three, and 60% from the free-throw line. He had four fouls and two turnovers. He scored an inefficient 18 points. If it weren't for Castle's 33 and Harper's 27, the Spurs would be down 2-1.

What we've seen this postseason is anything but a dynamic bucket getter, and it hurts to admit because plenty of Spurs fans have gone out of their way to defend the max contract the team gave him last summer. But like the crude scenes in an episode of The Boys, Fox's shortcomings are getting more difficult to defend.

Fox is proving the Spurs critics right

It was a point of pride to hear that a talented scorer, the likes of De'Aaron Fox, was adamant about bringing his skills to the Alamo City. He stepped back to let the young guys shine, but most of us kept faith that he would step up when the team needed him. He was doing it earlier in the year when Victor Wembanyama went down with a calf injury in November, so of course, he would do it again, right?

Well, with or without the Alien, Swipa has just been what the kids call "mid." Through three playoff games, he's averaging 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists in nearly 35 minutes a night. He's shooting 43% from the field, 37% from deep, and 67% from the free throw line. Those numbers don't align with what San Antonio was hoping for when they signed Fox to a $221 million contract.

Some guys are playoff risers, but most fall off a little in the postseason. That generally happens on both sides, so it can be easy to miss. Superstars get that label because they're able to maintain their explosive production when the atmosphere is at its most intense. The postseason is a constant reminder of the levels of stardom in the NBA, and maybe, just maybe, Fox is on a lower tier than we'd care to admit.

Maybe Fox let the Slash Bros shine a little too much, and it threw him off his game because he was way more dynamic than this against Golden State in his first postseason appearance a few years back. The selfless playmaker is only 28 years old, so he's in the middle of his prime—it can't be old age. So, the reason for his struggles is a mystery to Spurs Nation.

The answers to all of these "maybe" questions lie within the player himself. He's the one who decides by making plays on the floor. Sure, Fox is providing valuable leadership, but that doesn't excuse the other part of the job. I'm sure he's holding himself to just as high a standard. That's the character of the guys who belong in San Antonio, but you have to follow up, too.

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