De'Aaron Fox's offensive woes could create reality Spurs didn't plan for

The stakes are pretty high for De'Aaron Fox right now. After a shaky performance in the NBA playoffs, the spotlight is on him to step up during the 2026-27 season. If he can't, he could lose his starting role, which would make him the highest-paid bench player in league history. I think it's safe to say that isn't the direction the Spurs expected to go after extending his contract last summer.

If this becomes a reality, he would beat out Russell Westbrook, John Wall, and Ben Simmons as the most expensive bench players ever. The rough part is that Westbrook and Wall were well past their primes when they fell into a reserve role. Fox is just 28 years old; therefore, age wouldn't be much of an excuse for him.

There's no need to panic now. De'Aaron will be the Spurs' starting point guard at the beginning of the 2026-2027 season, but the pressure is on him to produce consistently on offense. If not, a massive roster shakeup would be the next step for San Antonio, putting him into a role he was never intended to play.

If De'Aaron Fox was moved to the bench, there would still be pressure

If it does end up being the case that Fox comes off the bench later in the season, there will still be a heavy amount of pressure on him to perform. Sure, the role would be different, but great players are expected to adjust to changing situations and duties.

Shining as a sixth man would be the best way for him to flip the narrative. There's nothing that fans love more than a player who's willing to take on a new role for his team, regardless of the circumstances. Fox has more than enough talent to lead the Spurs' second unit and possibly find himself in 6MoTY conversations.

He wouldn't be the only San Antonio player to adapt to a new set of duties. For example, last season, Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell both sacrificed some parts of their game to make way for others. Fox could add to the trend of unselfishness that's defined this new era of Spurs basketball.

Fox still has time to return to All-Star form as a starter

De'Aaron Fox's starting point guard role is still his to lose. The Spurs have yet to indicate he'll be coming off the bench, so he has time to right the ship and return to the All-Star version of himself.

There are several reasons to be confident he can do that. Fox's ankle injury shouldn't be nearly as much of an issue as it was in the playoffs, and he's put in enough work to trust in his ability to bounce back.

This is a guy who brought the Sacramento Kings to the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. He has the work ethic to come back even stronger next season. Sure, the pressure on him is real. But it's still okay to relax and trust the process. De'Aaron Fox's return to form is still on the table.

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