Spurs were dangerously close to adding the wrong player over De'Aaron Fox

Before last season's trade deadline, fans will remember that De'Aaron Fox wasn't the only player rumored to have a connection to San Antonio. Trae Young was also seemingly on the outs with Atlanta, and word around the mill was the Hawks were willing to move him. The Spurs were allegedly his ideal destination, but a deal was made with Sacramento instead. We should all be grateful.

If you think Spurs Nation was frustrated by waiting for Swipa's debut at the start of the season, imagine how annoyed everyone would have been about Ice Trae. He was injured in the fifth game of the year and missed the next 22 contests. The team saw a little success without him before sliding again, and when he returned, they hoped their primary playmaker would steady the ship. He did not.

While Young is still a talented offensive player, he hasn't made enough of an impact to justify the amount of money he makes. Whispers that the front office is ready to move him are starting up once again, further highlighting Brian Wright's decision to go with the more reliable Fox.

Fox was always the right choice for the Spurs

San Antonio's starting point guard is a couple of inches and 20 pounds bigger than Young. Let's just start with that. In an era where nearly every position in the league is getting larger, adding a small player to your starting lineup is a risk all in itself. This is the Western Conference. It gets real over here, so Trae won't get a chance to hide on defense very often.

You're competing with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, etc.—the list goes on. There are a bunch of big, talented playmakers in the West and they'll hunt a player like Young. They can't do that to Fox.

While Swipa isn't necessarily the best defender in the league by any means, he's better than people give him credit for. You don't see players trying to pick on him, because it's not the advantage you'd hope it to be.

The only skill Atlanta's star guard has over Fox is his natural passing ability. Young has always been a spectacular passer, so he'd be a great offensive hub for San Antonio, but that's just not enough. His 3PT% has plummeted to 30% this season. So, if he's not hitting threes and can't play defense, he's a massive liability.

Remember that when you think about the things Brian Wright has done for the organization to put the Spurs in the position they're in now. The deals not made are just as important as the ones that went down.