The San Antonio Spurs remain committed to De’Aaron Fox despite his disappointing finish to the 2026 NBA Finals, but a new report suggests his current contract has effectively taken trade discussions off the table.
According to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, the Spurs internally believe Fox is “not tradeable on his contract at the moment.” The organization is instead focused on helping the veteran point guard rebuild his value during the 2026-27 season, with a stronger postseason viewed as a key step in the franchise’s long-term backcourt plans.
Fox, 28, begins the first season of a four-year, $221.7 million contract after an up-and-down first full campaign in San Antonio. The Spurs finished 62-20, earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and reached the NBA Finals before falling to the New York Knicks in five games.
Fox played an important role throughout the regular season, averaging 18.6 points, 6.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 48.6% from the field across 72 games. He earned an All-Star selection and formed a productive partnership with Victor Wembanyama, who averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks while winning Defensive Player of the Year and finishing third in MVP voting.
However, Fox’s postseason production declined sharply after suffering an ankle sprain during the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He missed the first two games of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder before returning in Game 3 and continuing to play through the injury.
Across 21 playoff games, Fox averaged 15.6 points, 6.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds while shooting just 41.4% from the field and 29.4% from three-point range. His struggles became even more pronounced during the Finals, where he averaged only 12.8 points per game on 34.3% shooting overall and 25.0% from beyond the arc.
Weiss noted that the defining sequence came late in Game 4 against New York. With San Antonio leading by one point and the shot clock turned off, Fox attacked the basket for a potential game-sealing layup but was blocked. The Knicks capitalized to win 107-106 before closing out the series in Game 5.
Despite those numbers, the Spurs reportedly attribute much of Fox’s decline to the lingering ankle injury rather than a permanent drop in performance. Internally, the belief is that he consistently generated quality scoring opportunities but failed to convert them at his usual rate while playing through pain.
The report also sheds light on San Antonio’s evolving backcourt picture. Stephon Castle appears firmly established as a starter after averaging 16.7 points and 7.4 assists during the regular season before raising those numbers to 18.2 points and 6.1 assists in the playoffs. Rookie Dylan Harper also impressed, averaging 11.8 points during the regular season and 14.1 points on 51.5% shooting in the postseason.
According to Weiss, Castle is viewed as a long-term starter, while Harper showed enough promise to eventually earn a starting role. However, with Fox’s contract considered difficult to move and all three guards unlikely to start together unless one develops into an elite perimeter shooter, Harper may continue in a reserve role unless Fox eventually accepts a move to the bench.
The Spurs’ offseason has otherwise centered on maintaining continuity around Wembanyama. The franchise secured the All-NBA center with a five-year, $252 million rookie extension, re-signed Julian Champagnie and Harrison Barnes, added veteran forward Tobias Harris, and selected Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr. in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.
