Quick-fix De'Aaron Fox trade proposal fails to address most glaring issue

Spurs fans have come to accept a tough reality with De'Aaron Fox: he can be pretty inconsistent. While he's an All-Star and provides value, the ninth-year point guard runs into rough scoring patches as we've seen this postseason. Now, while that is true, some of his critics do tend to jump the gun a bit.

Obviously, we know that trade proposals can be pretty hit-or-miss, and this one has to count as a miss. While Spurs fans need to be on the lookout for potential conversations about an upgrade in Fox's role if they come up short this postseason, I'm not sure that this one has much merit.

Kevin Durant's current career dynamic doesn't align with the Spurs

I don't think anyone would contest the fact that Kevin Durant is still a great player. Amidst the controversy this past season, he was great for the Rockets, scoring 26 PPG on 50-40-80 splits while playing 78 games. Even in an off year, he was one of the league's most efficient scorers.

But while those numbers look attractive, the Spurs don't need to risk adding someone this late in their career to the roster. While KD did play a ton in the regular season, the injury bug that's been harassing him since 2019 reared its ugly head in this year's playoffs, forcing him to miss all but one game in the first round against the Lakers.

Again, when he's on the floor, Durant is still an elite offensive talent. But it would never make sense to replace a bright younger piece with a 37-year-old veteran who's struggled with injuries and incomplete seasons for a while now. Quite frankly, the Rockets took that gamble last summer and paid for it in the end.

I think we need to be patient with De'Aaron Fox... for now

I think it's time to hold off just a bit on De'Aaron Fox trade conversations. Now, the critiques are fair; there are nights when he doesn't show up, struggling with efficiency, turnovers, or both. Game 1 against the Wolves was an example of this, where he shot 35% from the floor and turned the ball over half a dozen times.

But there are moments where he's flat-out dominant and can put opposing teams to bed. You couldn't tell me that he wasn't important in the final two closeout games of the Blazers series, where he averaged 24.5 points on 61% shooting to end the first round.

My question is simple: Is it fair to totally write off De'Aaron Fox now? He's not the only Spur that struggles with consistency on the offensive end. Additionally, his time here in San Antonio has been a bit of a success. They don't win 62 games without him, nor do they bolster a top ten offense.

The trade conversations may heat up this summer, but for now, we need to accept two truths. Yes, De'Aaron Fox has his flaws and needs to make adjustments if the Spurs want to extend their postseason run. But at the same time, it's a bit too early to completely write him out of this team's future.

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