Player The Layne Staley Depression-Laden Foxhole of De'Aaron Martez Fox

[Wemby_Island]

Ive been defending him all year but 3 straight playoff games of meh play.

Give the keys to the kids tbh. Sucks that we won't be able to trade him until after next season tbh.

I think he anchored good O yesterday.

I would say better than Castle. He has highest Assists on the team.

The problem with him is on other playmaking abilities though. He sucks at Defense, sucks at rebounding and brain dead TO’s like pass to castle and too passive when ball not in his hands.

 

[spursparker9]

I think he anchored good O yesterday.

I would say better than Castle. He has highest Assists on the team.

The problem with him is on other playmaking abilities though. He sucks at Defense, sucks at rebounding and brain dead TO’s like pass to castle and too passive when ball not in his hands.

Tre Jones can also do all that and not making 60mil per year

Facilitate, playmaking. Can't shoot 3s, can't defend, can't rebound.

At least Tre Jones hustle tbh.

 

[Wemby_Island]

Tre Jones can also do all that and not making 60mil per year

Facilitate, playmaking. Can't shoot 3s, can't defend, can't rebound.

At least Tre Jones hustle tbh.

Fox is in slump obviously with scoring, but his mid rangers are still Gold and draw multiple defenders…

Ofcourse not worth 60 mil, but we are on hook with it

 

[spursparker9]

Hopefully....I just hope that there is at least 1 playoffs game that it is Fox who carried the team.

 

[OK Computer]

My bar for Fox is as long as we’re winning, I don’t give a fuck. And if we lose and he’s a big part of why we lose (like game 2), and it repeatedly happens - then I’ll look to him as somebody that needs to go. So far, it’s nowhere near that level.

 

[ginobilized]

I’ll throw a twist into this for next season. DJG might fit very well into the guard rotation and give us more combinations. If he comes back healthy I think it gives a bit more rest to the other 3. Watching him courtside in Austin, he’s much bigger than I thought. Legit size for a NBA guard. He could really change things if/when he cracks the rotation. Makes Fox an obvious expansion draft casualty or a trade candidate for a player or 2 at a position of need.

Fox has been trying to adapt, he’s just not offering something commensurate with his price tag. Getting hunted by Portland does not bode well for Minny/Denver or OKC matchups.

 

[frenchfred]

He’s not an afterthought he’s getting fried on the TL.

He did a great job closing the game out but was meh at best and horrible at worst before that. I’m just happy he has something to build on at this point

I'm on the same page. I was a Fox supporter most of the year but now I'm on the fence especially for the amount of money he is going to make. Making a couple of shots at the end is great but that's not what I'm expecting from a max salary, I want some consistency during the game and across several games, he is a veteran with the highest salary, he should be the one bringing stability and he is not. We'll see how it goes the rest of the playoffs.

 

[LeBowen]

My bar for Fox is as long as we’re winning, I don’t give a fuck. And if we lose and he’s a big part of why we lose (like game 2), and it repeatedly happens - then I’ll look to him as somebody that needs to go. So far, it’s nowhere near that level.

I don't really care about his contract, for me he becomes an issue when he starts hindering Harper's growth.
Harper played more than 30 minutes just once in the regular season and it was against Portland when Castle sat.

We've got a potential MVP level guard on the bench and it wouldn't surprise me if he's a better player than Fox as soon as next season's opening night.
And if that's the case, then Fox can either accept the 6th man role for 2 more years before extensions start kicking in or he can take his talents somewhere else.

 

[CGD]

^ we talk a lot about the team being ahead of schedule, and a huge part of that is Harper being ahead of schedule. Where I thought the Fox trade question wouldn’t come until Summer 2027, now I firmly believe that decision is ahead of schedule too.

 

[Bruno]

Fox has started slowly the playoffs, we will see how he evolves in the next few games.

Fox is just unlucky that Spurs got lucky in the 2025 Draft and got Harper.
Fox, Castle and Harper are complicate to fit together. This season, it worked quite well because Fox agreed to take a step back and Harper was fine coming from the bench. They also worked way better in the second half of the season when Castle and Harper started to shoot better.

In the future:
- The more Harper and Castle grow, the more complicate if will be to fit these three players together.
- The more Harper and Castle grow, the less room Fox will have to play his game, which will hurt his trade value.
- In any case, they won't be able to stay together for financial reasons. In 2028 or 2029, depending how much luxury tax Spurs ownership is willing to pay, they will become too costly to keep.

To me, it isn't if Fox has to be traded, it is when will he be traded. Before the playoffs, it seemed that the 2027 summer would be the right time. Playoffs might change that. I wouldn't rule out Spurs trading Fox this summer to Houston. I just hope it won't be for Durant...

 

[LeBowen]

^ we talk a lot about the team being ahead of schedule, and a huge part of that is Harper being ahead of schedule. Where I thought the Fox trade question wouldn’t come until Summer 2027, now I firmly believe that decision is ahead of schedule too.

Yeah, our rotation has to be a meritocracy based on ability and not contract size.
Fox has definintely bought in and a lot of his struggles are on not having the ball as much as he's used to, but if Harper is a better 3pt shooter than him while being a way better defender and Castle having the primary ballhandler duties, then Fox's player archetype would be a perfect fit to come in off the bench and do whatever he wants.

 

[tearsofmorningdew]

Fox has started slowly the playoffs, we will see how he evolves in the next few games.

Fox is just unlucky that Spurs got lucky in the 2025 Draft and got Harper.
Fox, Castle and Harper are complicate to fit together. This season, it worked quite well because Fox agreed to take a step back and Harper was fine coming from the bench. They also worked way better in the second half of the season when Castle and Harper started to shoot better.

In the future:
- The more Harper and Castle grow, the more complicate if will be to fit these three players together.
- The more Harper and Castle grow, the less room Fox will have to play his game, which will hurt his trade value.
- In any case, they won't be able to stay together for financial reasons. In 2028 or 2029, depending how much luxury tax Spurs ownership is willing to pay, they will become too costly to keep.

To me, it isn't if Fox has to be traded, it is when will he be traded. Before the playoffs, it seemed that the 2027 summer would be the right time. Playoffs might change that. I wouldn't rule out Spurs trading Fox this summer to Houston. I just hope it won't be for Durant...

Expansion draft might be then best way to get out of this

 

[spursparker9]

I think we more or less have seen Fox's ceiling.

Making moves to allow the right environment and playing time and development for the Slash Bros to achieve their ceiling (MVP level potential (Cade/Harden) for Harper and Kawhi's 2-way player level for Castle) should be MATFO's utmost priority....

But knowing Spurs' culture, they will want to do things right by the players and I think they will let Fox play at least 2 years of his max contract before trying to move him (probably 2028 off season earliest). I just can't see Spurs pulling a trade and dump (so early) move tbh . "That is not who we are"

If expansion draft come early, I doubt MATFO will dare to not protect Fox tbh, in fear of "bad optics" for treating their Max player this way

 

[Bruno]

I’ll throw a twist into this for next season. DJG might fit very well into the guard rotation and give us more combinations. If he comes back healthy I think it gives a bit more rest to the other 3. Watching him courtside in Austin, he’s much bigger than I thought. Legit size for a NBA guard. He could really change things if/when he cracks the rotation.

What is hurting DJG is that he only shoots 27% from 3 in gleague this season. I think Spurs will go more with a shooter to complement Fox/Castle/Harper.

 

[ginobilized]

What is hurting DJG is that he only shoots 27% from 3 in gleague this season. I think Spurs will go more with a shooter to complement Fox/Castle/Harper.

True, but, Castle and Harper have improved in the Spurs system from 3, there might be hope for DJG. I'd love our matchup with OKC with an actualized version of DJG. Just one sliver of possibility going forward.

 

[Bruno]

True, but, Castle and Harper have improved in the Spurs system from 3, there might be hope for DJG. I'd love our matchup with OKC with an actualized version of DJG. Just one sliver of possibility going forward.

It's sure that he will get better shot qualities with Spurs while not being the central point of the offense like he was in Austin.

BTW, these are DJG draft measurements:
Height without shoes: 6'3.5"
Standing reach: 8'4"
Weight: 211.2 lbs
Wingspan: 6'6.75"

 

[Mugen]

If we’re winning, then I can live with it. And by all accounts, there’s off the court leadership stuff that he’s contributed to with the young guards.

But the end of game two and yesterday are why we paid him that much money. And he was meh to fine in those games.

We need so much more from him, especially if he’s taking Harper’s minutes to close out games. Good news is that it’s early in the postseason and he should have more opportunities.

 

[frenchfred]

Fox has started slowly the playoffs, we will see how he evolves in the next few games.

Fox is just unlucky that Spurs got lucky in the 2025 Draft and got Harper.
Fox, Castle and Harper are complicate to fit together. This season, it worked quite well because Fox agreed to take a step back and Harper was fine coming from the bench. They also worked way better in the second half of the season when Castle and Harper started to shoot better.

In the future:
- The more Harper and Castle grow, the more complicate if will be to fit these three players together.
- The more Harper and Castle grow, the less room Fox will have to play his game, which will hurt his trade value.
- In any case, they won't be able to stay together for financial reasons. In 2028 or 2029, depending how much luxury tax Spurs ownership is willing to pay, they will become too costly to keep.

To me, it isn't if Fox has to be traded, it is when will he be traded. Before the playoffs, it seemed that the 2027 summer would be the right time. Playoffs might change that. I wouldn't rule out Spurs trading Fox this summer to Houston. I just hope it won't be for Durant...

honestly I would do a Fox for Durand trade this summer. Durand has two year left, which fits the Spurs schedule, and is a great shooter who can rebound and he will cost 7 million less next year. Yes, he has some issues and that's risk. Harper will want to start and we cannot play Fox, Harper and Castle together

 

[Arguendo]

sometimes I wonder if you guys really watch basketball. He's taking Camara out of the play which is the reason Castle and Harper can go off. Blazers are clearly focused on stopping Fox' dribble penetration.

Do you want him to shoot a jumper when he's triple teamed?
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Thank you. Pretty clear a bunch of people here don't watch the games with an understanding of what's happening.
Fox had Camara on him most of his possessions, than Jrue for the majority of the rest. That's freaking huge, those guys are two of the top 20 defenders in the league.
Fox has been OK, not bad. He's scored more pts than shots in every game, 18:5 A:TO, and is drawing elite defenders, two of the best free safety guys in the league. Its actually really hard to score on both those guys and getting almost 4:1 A:TO is great. Non of this is happening in a vacuum.

OK + taking a top Defender out of most plays is a positive, not a negative. He just looks a lot worse in comparison to the other two, its coming off as a 2x AS that doesn't step in up while a Rook and Soph steal the show.

 

[dn0774]

honestly I would do a Fox for Durand trade this summer. Durand has two year left, which fits the Spurs schedule, and is a great shooter who can rebound and he will cost 7 million less next year. Yes, he has some issues and that's risk. Harper will want to start and we cannot play Fox, Harper and Castle together

There is just too much history now of KD ruining locker rooms. It’s not even about the talent anymore.