De’Aaron Fox of the San Antonio Spurs was the subject of criticism after his performance in the 2026 NBA Finals, as the star point guard struggled to keep his team in the fight against the New York Knicks and subsequently landed himself in trade rumors throughout the entire offseason.
With the younger Dylan Harper shining in the spotlight, Fox, who was dealing with an ankle injury throughout the playoffs, did not live up to the new max contract extension he signed, and the point guard’s future with the Spurs has been in question ever since his subpar performances on the NBA’s biggest stage.
But despite San Antonio sticking to their guns on Fox, the 28-year-old was recently put on notice regarding his standing with the team next season.
De’Aaron Fox Put On Notice Amid NBA Trade Rumors
GettyOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – MAY 26: De’aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the second quarter of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Five of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 26, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Shortly after the Spurs lost the NBA Finals, Fox’s name was mentioned in trade rumors, with many predicting San Antonio would move on from the star after he had little impact in the series, which also included a missed layup that swung momentum heavily to the Knicks.
While also being named as one of the most overpaid point guards in the NBA, Bleacher Report recently tabbed Fox as having the ‘most to prove‘ for the Spurs next season.
“Any rational view of San Antonio’s long-term future does not include the version of Fox we saw in the playoffs. Unless he puts together one of the best seasons of his career, it’ll become difficult to see him in the Spurs’ plans beyond this year,” Grant Hughes wrote.
Fox put up 12.8 points, six assists, and three rebounds per game in the 2026 NBA Finals, all of which were down from his regular season averages.
As Hughes wrote, the pressure is on him to perform next season, especially with Harper waiting in the wings to jump at the opportunity to take his spot.
“Fox’s playoff struggles came after an All-Star season and owed largely to a sprained ankle, but that doesn’t change the bigger-picture concern that he’s in the way of two more valuable young players in Castle and Harper while also clogging up the books through 2029-30 when he’ll earn a ridiculous $61.4 million.”
Fox has proven to be a high-level point guard throughout his career, but that wasn’t seen in the postseason last year for the Spurs. That’s been evident by looking through NBA trade rumors, with his name consistently mentioned as a player San Antonio could be looking to move.
Regardless, the pressure is clearly on Fox next season as he hopes to bounce back next to Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and arguably the best young core in the league today.
Spurs Make Decision On Starting Point Guard Spot
GettySAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 23: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs shakes hands with De’Aaron Fox #4 during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Frost Bank Center on December 23, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Despite many questions about his future in San Antonio, the Spurs have appeared to take a firm stance on Fox for next season.
Writing for ESPN, team insider Michael C. Wright reported the Spurs will keep Fox in the starting lineup over Harper, even though the younger guard had a standout and historic first career playoff run at just 20 years old.
“Despite Harper breaking out in the postseason, it’s likely Fox gets the nod (in the starting lineup) considering his experience, ability to direct traffic and consistently facilitate the offense. Fox did that throughout the regular season, despite missing most of last offseason and the start of the regular season due to a hamstring injury,” Wright said.
“After 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.”
But even though the insider believes San Antonio will stick with Fox over Harper, that’s not a guarantee. The older of the two is about to begin a massive four-year, $221 contract extension, and if he can’t live up to that quickly, his name could head right back into NBA trade rumors.
So, for now, it looks like Fox will remain with the Spurs, but he’s on the hot seat. He won’t have a lot of time to prove he’s the team’s franchise point guard, but that’s the task in front of him after his poor outings in the NBA Finals.
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