Devin Vassell leaving the Spurs more plausible after De'Aaron Fox's extension

The San Antonio Spurs made a major financial commitment this week in re-signing De’Aaron Fox, and while the move solidifies their short-term outlook, it also creates difficult decisions down the road. One of those could very well involve Devin Vassell.

With Fox now locked in and Jeremy Sochan soon eligible for his rookie extension, the Spurs may not be able to keep all of their core pieces intact. That makes Vassell’s long-term future with the franchise far less certain than it once seemed.

Vassell signed a five-year, $146 million deal in 2023 and was expected to grow into a foundational piece alongside Victor Wembanyama. But with Fox now on the books for four years and a max extension for Wembanyama looming in 2027, the financial picture in San Antonio is starting to get tight. Keeping Fox, Sochan, Vassell, and Wembanyama all under contract at full value might be more than even the most optimistic payroll scenario can handle.

The Spurs might have to move Vassell eventually

This is not an indictment on Vassell’s value. When healthy, he's proven he can stretch the floor, defend multiple positions, and be impactful as a secondary or tertiary scoring option. He averaged 16.3 points and 2.9 assists per game in 2024-25 and remains one of the league’s more underrated two-way wings. But when teams invest heavily in a ball-dominant point guard like Fox and prepare for a supermax extension for a generational talent like Wembanyama, role players can quickly become trade assets.

Sochan’s extension will only add to the dilemma. While he may not command as much as Vassell on the open market, his age and positional versatility make him a valuable long-term fit next to Wembanyama. If forced to choose between Sochan and Vassell, the Spurs could lean toward the younger forward, especially with Fox now locked into the backcourt and more than capable of shouldering additional offensive responsibility.

For now, the Spurs can afford to remain patient. Vassell is still under contract for four more years, and the front office does not need to make any drastic decisions before the 2026 offseason. But the writing may already be on the wall. If the Spurs want to maintain financial flexibility and continue building around their new star duo, Vassell could be the odd man out.

In a perfect world, San Antonio would keep all their young cornerstones. But Fox’s new extension makes it clear: something will eventually have to give, and Vassell’s departure is starting to feel like the most realistic outcome.