Spurs could see Fox transform into franchise legend almost overnight

Let's completely get away from whether or not the Spurs should be tying themselves to De'Aaron Fox because of the youth of Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. They've done it, and it's the right thing to do for this roster. He's going to be spectacular for this team, and he's not going anywhere. Instead, let's focus on what Fox is going to bring to the table this season.

We'll preview Swipa's first full season with the Silver and Black, predicting what we can expect from the speedy point guard and how he'll impact the roster instead. It's been a long journey getting back to a floor general as threatening as Fox is to defenses. Dejounte Murray feels like a lifetime ago, and even he was never as dangerous as the former Kings franchise star is now.

De'Aaron Fox will have one of the best seasons of his career

If the critics have done anything, they've motivated D. Fox. Before the trade was made before the deadline, folks were talking up the ex-Kentucky Wildcat. I'm old enough to remember how often pundits admitted how perfect he was for Victor Wembanyama and a Spurs team that relied on a 39-year-old Chris Paul to get them in and out of their sets.

Whether you put him in the top 25-35 players in the league is subjective. His place as a top 10 point guard on whoever's list is subjective. You know what's objective? His ability to rack up points and force defenses to account for him, no matter where he is on the floor. They didn't have to do that with Tre Jones, Josh Primo, or even Chris Paul.

In the immediate aftermath of San Antonio's trade with Sacramento, the front office was lauded for pulling off such a deal without including Stephon Castle or any of their most valuable draft picks. The Kings were scolded for letting it happen. Their fan base is writhing from the deal, but all of a sudden, we're supposed to act like Fox isn't enough of a needle mover to project what this team can be with an entire season of him at the helm.

Just remember that Swipa wasn't healthy all of last season. He injured his shooting hand before the year started and dealt with it all year. He still averaged 24 points, five rebounds, and six assists. The 2022 Clutch Player of the Year was putting up nearly 27 a game the season before, and he's just entered his prime.

Fox did that as the main option on a team that didn't have a Wembanyama for defenses to worry about. Look at what Jamal Murray does for Denver and Nikola Jokic, and extrapolate it because Fox is a better player than the Nuggets' point guard. He's quicker, more dynamic, and a better passer.

If you've watched that team when Jamal isn't in the lineup, they look completely different. Less than. Dominant big men still need good guard play to truly thrive. Their ability to get in and out of certain spots on the court just presses defenses, forcing them to compromise in ways that open up the floor for everyone else. We've almost forgotten what that looks like in San Antonio, but Fox will remind us.

Will his numbers be better than they've ever been? It's hard to say that because of how selfless the players are expected to be in SA. But will he make the offense unstoppable as they struggle to figure out who to stop first? Most definitely.