Spurs' trade stance on De'Aaron Fox is clear as max extension kicks in

After several NBA trades ahead of free agency, some San Antonio Spurs fans are hoping for a big De'Aaron Fox trade. However, they shouldn't hold their breath. It seems increasingly unlikely that he will be moved this summer.

In fact, ESPN's Brian Windhorst recently confirmed as much. San Antonio keeping Fox after his disastrous NBA Finals performance seems questionable. Of course, so is trading him when his value is at an all-time low.

Before his ankle injury, he was averaging nearly 19 points per game in the NBA playoffs compared to the 12.8 points he averaged during the NBA Finals. That proves that he was actually an impactful player before his postseason was derailed due to injury.

Spurs' trade stance on De'Aaron Fox is clear as max extension kicks in

The Spurs keeping Fox is both a vote of confidence and accepting the reality of the situation. Even if they wanted to trade him now, they can't without having to attach several picks.

That should be a no-go for San Antonio. Instead, the goal should be to try and better incorporate Fox into their game plan. Last season, he spent a significant amount of time playing off-ball due to Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper's lack of shooting.

Fortunately, both players shot the ball well over the second half of the season and in the NBA playoffs. Therefore, the Spurs should allow Fox to play much more on-ball next season. Doing so would allow him to get back to playing within his comfort zone.

The Spurs can still make a De'Aaron Fox partnership work

That is only part of the problem, however. His speed has dropped off dramatically. In the year and a half since he's been traded from the Sacramento Kings to the Spurs, he hasn't shown the same level of quickness.

Whether that's a long-term injury or him declining physically remains to be seen. Hopefully with an off-season under his belt and a full training camp, he will look much more comfortable and also have an increased burst to speed.

A bounce-back season from Fox, in which he averages at least 20 points per game during the regular season and in the playoffs, would go a long way to restoring his value. It could not only help the Spurs win a championship next season but also eventually make it much easier to trade Fox when the time comes.

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