De'Aaron Fox extension will speak volumes about his future with the Spurs

When the San Antonio Spurs traded for De'Aaron Fox, the instant reaction was that a new franchise point guard had been acquired. Fox is an All-NBA honoree who ranks among the most productive players in the Association, with a skill set that seems tailor made to complement Victor Wembanyama.

After the Spurs selected point guard Dylan Harper at No. 2 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, however, the narrative has changed—and Fox's contract extension will reveal the extent of the alterations.

Perhaps there's a world in which Stephon Castle, Fox, and Harper can play upward of 30 minutes per game alongside Wembanyama. Castle is the reigning Rookie of the Year, Harper is a favorite for the 2025-26 award, and Fox has led a less talented team to the playoffs.

One simply can't help but envision a scenario in which Castle and Harper live up to their potential, and Fox becomes the odd man out.

It's an admittedly difficult thought to process considering Fox has averaged 24.8 points, 6.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game since 2020. That type of production is equivalent to what San Antonio is dreaming of receiving from Castle or Harper long term.

When a team's draft strategy is to prioritize a position that was seemingly resolved already, however, many questions can be answered by the type of contract extension the veteran receives.

De'Aaron Fox's contract extension will answer if he's in Spurs' long-term plans

Fox has publicly confirmed that he would like to sign an extension with the Spurs. He'll enter the final season of his current deal in 2025-26 and is eligible for a new four-year contract worth just under $229 million.

Considering Wembanyama is signed through 2027, Castle is inked through 2028, and Harper's potential extension won't come off the books until 2029, there's a degree of financial rationality in re-signing Fox.

For as well as the financial numbers align, however, there are some who question if Castle, Fox, and Harper can play big minutes alongside one another. All three seem to be at their best with the ball in their hands, and with Wembanyama already establishing himself as a high-level scoring threat, it's difficult to envision a system in which all three are positioned to be at their best.

San Antonio has a long history of running systems that reward sacrifice, but it's an ambitious goal that may undermine the production and development of the respective players.

The skepticism continues with the fact that Fox is a career 33.0 percent three-point shooter. He's certainly overcome that issue to become a star in the NBA, but Castle shot 28.5 percent as a rookie and Harper made just 33.3 percent of his attempts during his lone collegiate season.

With rational concerns over the efficacy of a perimeter consisting of three players who struggle to space the floor, drastic improvements will need to be made to quell the skepticism.

Thankfully, San Antonio can put those conversations to rest by extending Fox on a mutually beneficial contract. The challenge will then be laid out to the respective and collective players to find a way to make it work, all the while backing Fox as more than just a trade deadline addition meant to give the team temporary postseason hope.

Depending on what Fox's salary looks like, every question about the Spurs' outlook on his long-term fit should be answered sooner than later.