NBA Finals is making it painfully clear why the Spurs traded for De'Aaron Fox

The San Antonio Spurs managed to get a much-needed NBA Finals win against the New York Knicks, but not without the help of De'Aaron Fox. Despite Fox having yet another poor shooting game, he made several crucial plays that highlight his value to San Antonio.

He hit a clutch, mid-range jumper in the final minute to make it a two-possession game, essentially sealing the Spurs' victory. He also had a crucial block late. Factor in his eight assists and only two turnovers, and it was just what San Antonio needed.

Was it a max contract-level performance? No, it wasn't. But getting positive play from Fox is crucial to the Spurs digging their way out of the hole they've gotten themselves into.

De'Aaron Fox is still helping the Spurs win games despite his struggles

It would be nice if Fox could deliver 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game; however, that simply isn't the reality at the moment. He is playing through a high ankle sprain, and while he is moving more like the Fox of old, he isn't playing like him.

Nevertheless, he still has flashes of solid play. San Antonio doesn't necessarily need him to be vintage Fox, but anything he can provide would definitely help tip the scales in their favor.

While him having a big scoring game or two would be nice, him being a steady ball handler and playmaker has helped San Antonio immensely.

The Spurs need Fox too if they hope to beat the Knicks

Remember, San Antonio had 42 turnovers in the first two games of the Western Conference Finals, with 21 coming from Stephon Castle before Fox returned.

However, over the final five games of that series, San Antonio was able to rein in their mistakes, and Castle had only 11 turnovers during that span. Having another playmaker helps Castle cut down on his mistakes while maximizing his strengths. Castle confirmed as much:

We saw that in Game 3 with Castle aggressively looking to attack the basket, knowing that Fox was there to get teammates involved.

Fox isn't just there to set up teammates; he preoccupies the Knicks' defense. For large stretches of the series, the Knicks have placed defensive ace Mikal Bridges on him. That has freed up other Spurs such as Dylan Harper to get good looks and further proves his impact on this team.

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