The San Antonio Spurs remain committed to De’Aaron Fox despite his difficult finish to the 2026 NBA Finals, with team sources emphasizing the point guard’s importance to the franchise’s run to the championship series. Michael C. Wright of ESPN reported Monday that San Antonio’s decision between Fox and rookie Dylan Harper will ultimately be determined by what happens on the court.
“After De’Aaron Fox’s rough showing in the NBA Finals, team sources said the Spurs remain committed to the veteran, pointing out that San Antonio might have never reached the Finals without the point guard’s contributions while playing on a high right ankle sprain,” Wright reported.
Fox, 28, completed his first full season in San Antonio averaging 18.6 points, 6.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 72 regular-season games. He shot 48.6% from the field and earned an All-Star selection while helping the Spurs finish 62-20, second in the Western Conference.
San Antonio’s success also established Fox as an important part of a team built around Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks, won Defensive Player of the Year and finished third in MVP voting as the Spurs reached the NBA Finals.
Fox’s postseason numbers, however, declined after he suffered a high right ankle sprain against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals. He missed the first two games of the conference finals against Oklahoma City before returning and playing through the injury as San Antonio eventually won the series in seven games.
He averaged 15.6 points, 6.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds across 21 playoff games while shooting 41.4% overall and 29.4% from three-point range. His production dropped further against the New York Knicks, with Fox averaging 12.8 points on 34.3% shooting and 25.0% from deep in the five-game Finals.
The most consequential moment came in Game 4, when Fox attacked the basket with San Antonio holding a one-point lead and the shot clock turned off. His potential game-sealing layup was blocked, allowing New York to complete a 107-106 comeback before the Knicks closed the series with a 94-90 victory in Game 5.
Fox’s contract also complicates the Spurs’ options. He is entering the first season of a four-year, $221.7 million deal, and Jared Weiss of The Athletic previously reported that San Antonio internally views Fox as “not tradeable on his contract at the moment,” making a bounce-back season important for both the player and the organization.
At the same time, San Antonio has a developing backcourt behind Fox. Stephon Castle averaged 16.7 points and 7.4 assists during the regular season before posting 18.2 points and 6.1 assists in the playoffs, while Harper averaged 11.8 points in the regular season and 14.1 points on 51.5% shooting during the postseason.
Castle is viewed as a long-term starter, while Harper’s emergence gives the Spurs another potential lead guard alongside Wembanyama. That makes Fox’s 2026-27 performance particularly significant, but Wright’s report indicates San Antonio is not abandoning its veteran point guard after one injury-affected postseason.
