The San Antonio Spurs are not expected to trade De'Aaron Fox this offseason, but if they do, this is a deal that could make perfect sense.
Nearly a full month after the NBA Finals ended, the San Antonio Spurs can't escape De'Aaron Fox trade rumors, memes, and speculation.
The Spurs have made it very clear that they don't plan on trading Fox anytime soon, but all signs point to that just being smoke and mirrors. For starters, Fox is owed maximum salaries in each of the next four seasons, which San Antonio might struggle to afford. On top of that, Dylan Harper has broken out as an elite player in his own right, and he might already be better than Fox.
Of course, after the Finals, Fox's trade value is at an all-time low. However, there is one suitor who might be willing to take on his contract and give the Spurs an upgrade in the starting lineup, as well.
Mock Trade Sends De'Aaron Fox to the Clippers
It's worth noting that the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors have not yet finalized the deal that would send Kawhi Leonard to Canada for Brandon Ingram and other assets. There is speculation that the Clippers want to route a third team into the deal, unloading Ingram's contract.
Sportsnaut's Jason Burgos suggested that the Spurs could send Fox to the Clippers--probably along with some draft capital--and take on Ingram.
"He is a player who has scored 21 or more points a night for the last seven seasons," Burgos wrote. "So the Spurs would not lose much offensively by swapping him for Fox."
That's true! It would open up a starting spot for Harper, slot Devin Vassell to the bench, where he would immediately become a Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner, and give the Spurs a scoring boost on the wing. Ingram shot 38.2 percent from 3-point range last season and is a decent facilitator, so he could space the floor and take some playmaking pressure off Harper and Stephon Castle.
Critically, he is also owed roughly $40 million per year for only the next two seasons. Unlike Fox, he'd be off the books in time for Castle and Harper to sign massive extensions of their own, giving the Spurs much more flexibility than they would have had with Fox.
In order to convince the Clippers to take on Fox and pair him with Darius Garland, the Spurs would likely have to give up a first-round pick. But Fox and a pick for a proven wing scorer isn't a bad deal, and a lineup of Harper, Castle, Ingram, Tobias Harris, and Victor Wembanyama with Vassell, Julian Champagnie, Luke Kornet, Keldon Johnson, and Carter Bryant coming off the bench would be one of the longest and best in the NBA.
As far as zany mock trades go, this one is pretty sensible.
