De'Aaron Fox trade proposal only adds a bigger headache to next season

The NBA season is rapidly approaching, but that doesn't mean the trade rumors have slowed down. Sai Mohan of Heavy.com proposed a move between the Spurs and Celtics, sending De'Aaron Fox and Keldon Johnson to Boston in exchange for Paul George and Sam Hauser. Sure, George in a Spurs jersey would be fun to see, but bringing him on with his injury history is a risk not worth taking.

There's been a lot of chatter about San Antonio needing to part ways with De'Aaron Fox and Keldon Johnson this summer because of their struggles in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. While it is hard to ignore their shortcomings, the Spurs must still be very careful about what trade conversations they engage in. This one would be especially problematic for them.

Paul George is still a massive risk compared to De'Aaron Fox

There are some financial benefits to this sort of move. As Mohan stated, "The Spurs would gladly swap Fox's long-term money for George, who has a $56M player option in 2027-28".

He has a point, but San Antonio is in win-now mode. Their sights are set on bringing home a championship in 2027, and adding an injury-prone 36-year-old forward who's well past his prime isn't the best idea. George can put together good moments, but since the 2019-2020 season, he's struggled mightily with his availability.

Fox has more upside. He's eight years younger than the veteran forward, and after spending an entire summer rehabbing his ankle, Spurs fans should be excited about the leap he takes next season. There's just more reason to trust his production over Paul George's at this point.

I'm not a fan of throwing out all faith in De'Aaron after his struggles in the NBA Finals. They were disappointing, but just as easily as we can anticipate his fall-off, we can also anticipate his ascension. Buying into his bounce-back is still logical, and it definitely makes more sense than trading him for an injury-prone Paul George.

The Spurs can still be patient in their urgency

San Antonio is in a unique position right now. While they are trying to win a title very soon, they don't need to hit the panic button and rush out players who struggled for them last postseason.

Internal development is still important. Sure, the Spurs could press the button and make a big trade right now, but trusting players like De'Aaron Fox and Keldon Johnson to learn from their experiences is another way to become a better team.

Fox and Johnson's playoff struggles are not a consistent issue: they were a one-time occurrence that can still be corrected. San Antonio should feel more comfortable investing in their improvement instead of bringing on the uncertainties that come with Paul George at this point in his career.

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