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The San Antonio Spurs have an embarrassment of riches at point guard, but a looming decision about De'Aaron Fox could made much tougher. Fox is due for a bounce-back season after disappointing in the NBA Finals.
Yet, if he has a strong first half of the season, it could actually be a double-edged sword for the Spurs. It would be great in the sense that he would be living up to his max contract and helping the Spurs win games.
On the other hand, it would be bad in the sense that the Spurs would inevitably have to trade him to make way for Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.
De'Aaron Fox returning to peak may complicate the Spurs trading him
In theory, the better Fox plays, the easier it will be to trade him. Then again, San Antonio might trick themselves into believing they can afford to pay all three, and Victor Wembanyama. Of course, that's not feasible with the NBA's second apron.
Of course, having Fox play much closer to his peak Sacramento Kings level could be the biggest difference between last season and this season's team. We've yet to see that version of him in the Silver and Black, and it's something I'm definitely interested in seeing happen.
As good as Castle and Harper are, Peak Fox was a different animal. His speed and ballhandling allowed him to touch the paint with ease, and his craft and touch made him a threat to finish at the rim or on floaters. Pair that player with Wembanyama and Castle and Fox, and the Spurs are the best team in the NBA.
The Spurs should hope for peak Fox, even if it complicates things
Having the real Fox back would make the Spurs better in the short term, hopefully leading to a championship this season. Afterward, the Silver and Black should reassess and consider moving him then if and when his trade value is restored.
In that scenario, the instinct would be to run it back, which might be a mistake. If Fox has another playoff flameout, then his trade value could be non-existant.
The Spurs must tread carefully with Fox as a result. The hope is that he will reemerge as the star they traded for and that could lead to different problems, but it's still a good problem to have.
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