De’Aaron Fox just issued critical reminder Spurs fans needed to see

De’Aaron Fox isn’t the shiny new toy in San Antonio anymore. The ascension of Stephon Castle during the regular season and Dylan Harper in these playoffs have taken the spotlight away from Fox, and he’s been losing his luster in the eyes of some Spurs fans as a result. Tonight, though, the All-Star delivered a reminder that he’s still a crucial part of this team as the Silver and Black captured a 3-2 series lead over the Timberwolves.

Not-so-breaking news: De’Aaron Fox is good at basketball

Fox finished Game 5 against Minnesota with 18 points, four rebounds, and five assists while shooting 6/15 from the field and 5/5 from the charity stripe. He also committed just one turnover in 34 minutes. Most notably, he tallied a +24 plus/minus, tied for the team high with Victor Wembanyama.

The shifty point guard’s valuable contribution to this Spurs team is his willingness and capability to oscillate between playing on and off-ball. Tonight, and in Game 4 as well, he did a great job picking and choosing when to aggressively hunt for his shot and when to take a backseat and let the other guys cook.

It’s genuinely so impressive how unselfish Fox has been throughout his time in San Antonio. We’re talking about a guy who’s reached All-NBA heights in his career and is just now entering his prime, and yet, he’s still been completely inclined to sacrifice usage and stats in order to let the younger stars on the squad prosper.

At this point, Fox shouldn’t have to prove to anyone how good a player he is. Somehow, though, it feels necessary. Just because a standout night for him nowadays usually means an efficient 25 points instead of a loud 45 doesn't mean he’s lost a step. He’s actually just matured to match his surroundings.

Fox’s value for San Antonio can’t be forgotten

Fox came to San Antonio and immediately recognized that this team didn’t need a 25 PPG scorer. They needed a leader and a steadying force. He’s been those things, yielding the spotlight to Wemby, Castle, and Harper while also alleviating pressure from them.

If Fox weren't around, this team’s composition would be pretty different. Dylan Harper is going to be a superstar, but he isn’t one right now. He’s been able to find so much success in large part because of Fox’s presence, making things easier on him. If the rookie were the lead point guard, he’d probably be struggling more with the increased coverage. Much of that is true for Castle, too.

It’s true that De’Aaron Fox hasn’t been exactly what fans would have hoped for since he joined the Spurs. But it’s also true that he still positively impacts this team every night and deserves some more credit for it.

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