De'Aaron Fox just quietly proved he’s worth every cent of his contract

It's probably been a long summer for San Antonio Spurs star De'Aaron Fox after his awful NBA Finals performance, but he is quietly proving his worth this summer. Say what you will about his play in the NBA Finals—believe me, I did—Fox has shown impressive leadership.

In fact, he's even active this summer by practicing with Victor Wembanyama, Harrison Barnes, and new teammate Tobias Harris at his home. It's one thing to get up shots over the summer; it's another to invite teammates over for some high-level two-on-two basketball.

De'Aaron Fox is showing leadership despite criticism for his play.

Two things can be true: Fox's contract doesn't look great, but he is a perfect culture fit for the Spurs. It's likely why the team has been resistant to trading him.

It would be one thing for him to be on a questionable contract and also be a bad fit culture-wise. However, he genuinely seems to love playing in San Antonio and with his teammates.

That's the benefit of having Fox. He is old enough to be a leader on a young Spurs team but still young enough to contribute. Of course, he will hopefully make more of an impact on the court next season.

Last season, San Antonio asked Fox to play more off-ball than he had at any point in his NBA career. It went reasonably well, with him making an All-Star team and finishing second on the Spurs in scoring.

It also helped Stephon Castle's development, giving him the freedom to play point guard, and he thrived in that role.

De'Aaron Fox may help the Spurs in more ways than one next season

Still, San Antonio should put the ball back in Fox's hands more next season if they hope to maximize his performance.

He'll have to regain his quickness, but the best version of himself could transform the Spurs' offense. Peak Fox can single-handedly break down defenses, get into the paint, and finish with both skill and craft.

His dribble penetration can free up shooters and even Wembanyama hanging out around the basket. We only got some of that from Fox last season. But hopefully, with an offseason to work on his game and with his teammates, he'll have a strong bounce-back season.

Equally important, he's building camaraderie, which will hopefully help to elevate his play as well as Wembanyama, Harris, Barnes, and the rest of his teammates.

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