San Antonio Spurs Star Named One of Most Overpaid Players at Position

Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report recently named De’Aaron Fox as one of the most overpaid point guards in the league, citing the Spurs’ depth at the position combined with Fox’s underwhelming playoff performance as reasons for his inclusion on the list.

“The respective rises of Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle aren’t the only reasons De’Aaron Fox profiles as a likely trade candidate sooner than later. A pay rate of $49.8 million, with annual raises through 2029-30, is the other,” Hughes wrote.

“Victor Wembanyama just took a discount on his rookie-scale deal, likely with an eye toward preserving some cash for Harper and Castle when they reach extension eligibility. … Fox’s massive deal, which is particularly outsized in the wake of his playoff failures last year, will only look worse if his younger backcourt teammates take less when they reach new deals.”

Fox signed a four-year, $221 million contract with the Spurs last offseason. That contract starts with the upcoming ’26-27 season. Given the sheer size of it, the Spurs would have a hard time finding a trade partner for Fox if they wanted to try to trade him, but most reporting has suggested that they’re not looking to do so at this point in time.

De’Aaron Fox Expected to Start for Spurs Next Season

GettySAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – MAY 12: De’aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs brings the ball up court against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half in Game Five of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on May 12, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Despite the emergence and rapid ascension of second-year guard Dylan Harper, coupled with Fox’s poor postseason performance, Fox is still expected to remain the starter at the point guard position for the Spurs heading into the 2026-27 season. This means that Harper will likely come off the bench again.

This could be a bit of a tricky situation for San Antonio. Harper proved to be worthy of a starting spot with his play as a rookie, and not rewarding him with one could potentially work to stunt his growth and frustrate him. However, the Spurs also invested an enormous amount of money into Fox, and as a result they likely don’t want to bury him on the bench. It will be interesting to see how this dynamic plays out as the season approaches and ultimately gets underway.