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

[Manu20]

after my crazy Giannis trade proposition, here is another one Fox for Curry. The Warriors have to rebuild, Curry is at the end of this career and cannot win a title in SF, he has one year left at 62 millions. He is old but still puts good number and is one of the best 3-point shooters in the game, which we lack. He is not a great defender but neither is Fox.

It gives the Spurs one more year for Castle and Harper to develop while benefiting from a real vet experience who actually won titles and it doesn't jeopardize their future financially. The Warriors replace Curry with a starting PG who is still in his prime to continue with Butler and Green next season, making 11 million less than Curry so providing them with a little of room for another player.

Would 100% love this but it will only happen if Curry demanded a trade to SA only.

Back to reality, I think Fox just needs to be more assertive on offence and for Mitch to not be so set on his minutes rotation. If Fox starts off hot, leaving him a few extra minutes would do no harm .

 

[ambchang]

Mentioned this before the playoffs but a player cannot just turn it on and off like a spigot, there should be flow and coordination. Not just for fix, but the teammates as well.

 

[DTW]

I like the guy and I don't like piling on players. But even if he plays well the remainder of this series, which I doubt given the size and quality of their defenders and the Spurs poor spacing, if they can find a sucker dumb enough to take his albatross, take it and run, immaculate vibes be damned.

With him already struggling to break down quality defenders, he's just not enough of anything, in terms of shooting, play making or defending to justify spending 30% of the cap on a team with two other lead guards and in need of size and shooting.

 

[spurs3223]

I think maybe this entire conversation around Fox shifts if he hits a couple of those shots at the end and we win. And sometimes -- sometimes players miss shots they can make.

It looked rough tho, ngl. So I'm not arguing that he's been playing well this series, but some of ya'll are acting like he murdered your dog. It's funny to see the narrative drift between 'Fox's counting stats are way lower than ever before and not worth a max' to 'Wow, Fox has really adjusted to the system for the benefit of the team' based on box score + feelz at the moment all across the season.

Maybe he ain't worth the max but dude ain't trash. And IIRC his contract won't become a problem for a couple years at least. Let's see how he responds in Game 3. They'll make adjustments that hopefully open up his game a bit more.

 

[spurs3223]

Mentioned this before the playoffs but a player cannot just turn it on and off like a spigot, there should be flow and coordination. Not just for fix, but the teammates as well.

This is why I see him having a better game next time.

 

[tearsofmorningdew]

Slump buster?

 

[The_Second_Coming_of_VY65]

He just got supplanted by a 20 year old rookie who was instrumental in turning a critical playoff game around.

 

[spursistan]

Got passed by in a blink of an eye by a 21 yo sophomore and 20 yo rookie stepping up in the playoffs crucible while he's still stuck in his loser ball ways. You hate to see it.

 

[The_Second_Coming_of_VY65]

He should be gone. Dylan delivered the performance this fraud should have given tonight. Straight up fraudulent.

 

[cediskace]

i really hope he can find again his efficiency. but really, 229 millions and 4 years of contract for someone who plays at this level and at a position where we have a rookie who seems already better and a role (ballhandler, floor general) where we also have a sophomore who seems way better, well, it could end up with a lot of money who could be missing for others needs in the roster....

and with this level of play, i don't think we will be able to trade him without having to lose some good picks or take back another bad contract.... if he stays at this level, only the expansion could help us if a new franchise picks him.

sorry to think about this in the middle of a serie, but really, we have a very young team still under construction, and this could really change a lot of things..... he seems a great guy, but he is so far away from being the player we need at this price... hope he will get back to the great scorer he can be.

 

[STAT88]

Fox will make a great 6th man next season.

Let’s be honest the right move is to switch Harper and Fox.

 

[Mugen]

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.

 

[z0sa]

Fox is a great veteran presence. I don't think he's worth his contract, but he's great for regular season win-stacking and, in his (moderate) defense, he's barely got any playoff experience himself.

All of these guys who got minutes tonight are essentially on a clean slate when it comes to the playoffs (besides Luke). Sure, the Spurs were up already thanks to our younguns heroics, but him extending/holding the lead on the road shouldn't be completely discounted, either. That's how teams win a championship.

 

[poopbox]

This is like the best case scenario ( rookie guard with superstar potential show's you why he will be a superstar) and worst case scenario (max player you traded for to be your number 2 sits on the bench and watches rookie guard do what he should have done) at the same damn time (future voice)

 

[spursparker9]

I am sicked of his transition 3, quick 3 in first few second of the possession, missing FTs, getting his shots blocked when he go to the rim (he got to be in the top 5 in getting his shots blocked I swear. Curry is the same height as him but I never see Curry's layup get blocked)....

On defense, other than the occasional swipa moment, he can't grab boards or is big enough to give decent pressure....

His Max contract only start next year but yes please move him as the 6th man role. His max contract is already a sunk cost and I just hope Mitch can just let Harper and Castle to continue to grow and develop, and not over playing Fox

 

[Raven_]

needs to play pg in a big lineup, not off ball sg with the kids

 

[RC_Drunkford]

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?

 

[Rafa]

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?

Tbh I don’t think anyone is saying we’re better without him at all, he ain’t Trae Young. I think it’s a two punch combo of “a max contract for a #3 sometimes #4 option is overpay” and “what does him being around do to Harper’s development”?

I think all the criticism is absolutely fair while still acknowledging we’d be worse off without him in these playoffs. It’s looking ahead that worries

 

[Exstatic]

This forum is the worst.

 

[spursistan]

I'm pulling for this guy to have a moment in these playoffs because it's becoming super awkward. Getting carried by your 20-year-old and 21-year-old backcourt lieutenants in a road playoffs game is bad optics and a confidence-sapping development. He only needs to open his X account this morning to see how much of an afterthought he is in all of this.

I say this because I'm being realistic with regards to potential Fox trades. It's simply not happening until at least summer 2027 knowing how this front office operates. That said, there is just no way they can keep holding up Harper's blow-up phase for too long. He's going to force their hands to at least listen on/shop Fox on the quiet before they would have wanted. A lot of desperation around the league right now in some pretty nice markets (Heat, Rockets, Nets (if they whiff in lottery?)).

 

[tearsofmorningdew]

I'm pulling for this guy to have a moment in these playoffs because it's becoming super awkward. Getting carried by your 20-year-old and 21-year-old backcourt lieutenants in a road playoffs game is bad optics and a confidence-sapping development. He only needs to open his X account this morning to see how much of an afterthought he is in all of this.

I say this because I'm being realistic with regards to potential Fox trades. It simply not happening until at least summer 2027 knowing how this front office operates. That said, there is just no way they can keep holding up Harper's blow-up phase for too long. He's going to force their hands to at least listen on/shop Fox on the quiet before they would have wanted. A lot of desperation around the league right now in some pretty nice markets (Heat, Rockets, Nets (if they whiff in lottery?)).

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

 

[ambchang]

The idea is simple, pack the paint and dare the spurs to beat you from the outside, this strategy has been used since the David Robinson days for crying out loud.

Fox’s (or castle or Harper) job is to collapse the defense then kick it out for open threes, the other guys jobs are to catch and nail these threes. He’s doing fine in collapsing the defence but not as great at kicking the ball out for open shots.

 

[SpursFan86]

It’s not looking great, but I’m still hopeful he’s going to have some big playoff moments and help this team win games. Not sure he’s been as awful as some people here are suggesting…but yeah, obviously you’d like to see more from your max contract player who is supposed to be the clutch veteran presence on the team

 

[elpimpo4cc]

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.

We are the same

 

[Ice009]

i really hope he can find again his efficiency. but really, 229 millions and 4 years of contract for someone who plays at this level and at a position where we have a rookie who seems already better and a role (ballhandler, floor general) where we also have a sophomore who seems way better, well, it could end up with a lot of money who could be missing for others needs in the roster....

and with this level of play, i don't think we will be able to trade him without having to lose some good picks or take back another bad contract.... if he stays at this level, only the expansion could help us if a new franchise picks him.

sorry to think about this in the middle of a serie, but really, we have a very young team still under construction, and this could really change a lot of things..... he seems a great guy, but he is so far away from being the player we need at this price... hope he will get back to the great scorer he can be.

Too early to go talking like this IMO. He definitely needs to play better, though, and I think he will.