Spurs will soon make a De'Aaron Fox realization that Kings fans know too well

The San Antonio Spurs made a slam dunk trade to get De’Aaron Fox. The All-Star point guard wanted out and had his sights set on joining Victor Wembanyama in the Alamo. He got his wish, and the Spurs gave up a surprisingly light package to get him. San Antonio still has assets to make another splash and will soon be ready to chase a championship.

Fox is one of the best point guards in the NBA. He was an All-Star in 2023 and is on his fifth straight season of averaging over 23 points per game. That comes with six assists, five rebounds, and 1.5 steals every night. The 27-year-old is in his prime and ready to contend but has flaws.

Most will point to Fox’s subpar 3-point shooting. He makes 33.2 percent for his career, but Kings fans know the 6’3 guard has a much larger issue. It cost them games and could be a significant problem in the playoffs unless he improves in the Spurs system.

Spurs fans will find out about De’Aaron Fox’s defensive struggles

Fox checked several boxes for the Spurs. They wanted a second star and needed an offensive engine. His speed and ability to attack off of ball screens make the Spurs better, but can a team be a championship contender with Fox?

The Kings made the playoffs just once in his first seven seasons. The Warriors eliminated them in an exciting seven-game series in the opening round in 2023. Sacramento had tons of dysfunction. It is not fair to place the blame solely on Fox, but his attention to detail and poor perimeter defense was a problem.

Mike Brown blasted his star point guard for fouling Jaden Ivey on a 3-point shot up by three, which led to a one-point loss, just six weeks ago. He talked in detail about Fox not following the plan and making a reckless play that turned an overtime game into a defeat. Fans can hear Brown’s full postgame comments from Dec. 26 below.

It was not the only time. He struggles to stay in front of his man on defense and can be hunted. Fox has the speed and athletic ability to be a neutral defender. He must lock in and execute the schemes. For his career, Fox has a 0.094 win shares per 48 minutes, which is slightly below the league average of 0.100. He is an elite offensive weapon so that metric says plenty about his defense.

The Spurs have Victor Wembanyama protecting the paint and covering for perimeter errors. San Antonio may be the perfect fit for Fox because of that. They will need the 27-year-old point guard to improve his defense and lock if they want to be a title contender. Fouling 3-point shooters and losing your man is unacceptable on an elite team.

San Antonio Spurs fans should be excited about trading for De’Aaron Fox. He is one of the best point guards in the NBA. There are defensive and shooting questions, but the franchise upgraded their talent and chances to contend. The Spurs are a feared team and will only improve from here. Can San Antonio build another dynasty? Everyone should be watching closely to see how it all plays out.