ESPN’s Tim Legler pours cold water on Spurs’ major De'Aaron Fox plan

Much has been made about the pick-and-roll De'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama are destined to eat off once the season starts. That action will lead to a bunch of options for Swipa as he runs the offense and picks apart defenses. At least that's the plan. But ESPN's Tim Legler doesn't believe things will go as smoothly as Spurs Nation hopes.

"De'Aaron Fox as a ball screen operator with Victor Wembanyama; I don't think De'Aaron Fox is a natural creator for other people. He's a scorer." - Legler

He's not completely off base, but I'd argue that it doesn't matter much. The former Kentucky Wildcat has exactly the kind of skillset the Spurs can capitalize on. They've done it before.

Fox is the prototypical NBA guard of this era

D. Fox has averaged about six assists per game over the past four seasons, so he's a willing passer and a good one. While creating for others may not be his strength to the same degree as a Chris Paul, he can still deliver the ball on time to the right place. There aren't many pure passing point guards left. Almost all of them are combo guards who are primarily dangerous because of their scoring ability.

Tony Parker had a similar style. TP ran the offense well, sure, but what made him special was how amazing he was at getting into the paint and finishing over the trees. Once he added the mid-range pull-up, he was virtually unguardable as defending him became a matter of just hoping he missed.

The pressure he applied to defenses because of the ultimatum he forced on them helped to open up things for everyone else. Parker knew how to use that to feed his teammates and get them the ball in favorable positions, allowing them to capitalize on the opportunities he provided.

It's actually a pretty perfect comparison. Parker, like Fox, was a speedster. He got downhill quicker than anyone in the league, pushing the pace and showing off his finishing ability as a one-man fast break.

Swipa is basically the new Tony Parker. He'll play second to Victor Wembanyama just as TP did for Tim Duncan. His speed creates a black hole for defenders, pulling them in, so he can kick the ball out to what will be the best outlet in the league. Wembanyama's versatility gives him endless finishing options.

So, will Fox get into the paint and throw passes like Magic Johnson? No. But can he still pick defenses apart when he has a running mate as dynamic as Wemby? Most definitely. That will be more than enough.