The San Antonio Spurs are 5-6 since Christmas, and fans aren't convinced that De'Aaron Fox is being used in the best way.
After beating the Oklahoma City Thunder three times in December, the San Antonio Spurs looked like the team to beat. Since then, the wheels have fallen off the bus. The Spurs have a losing record dating back to Christmas, and the players who made the start of the season a success have taken a step back.
Harrison Barnes is no longer a reliable 3-point threat, Devin Vassell is injured, Stephon Castle is slumping, and Dylan Harper seems to have hit the rookie wall. Of course, Victor Wembanyama remains the best player on the team, although thanks to nagging injuries, his minutes have been limited.
Since the New Year, point guard De'Aaron Fox is averaging only 16.1 points per game, in large part thanks to a lack of aggression. While he needs to step up, he hasn't been utilized correctly.
Fans Call for Major De'Aaron Fox Adjustment
As the fastest player in the NBA, Fox is one of the best downhill threats and can jumpstart fast breaks like no one else can. However, as of late, Mitch Johnson has used him off-ball while defering to Castle to be the primary playmaker.
It's an odd move, espcially consiudering that Castle thrived as the secondary facilitator, and Fox is at his best with the ball in his hands. It seems to be an easy problem to fix, and fans are taking notice.
Fox has never been an elite shooting threat, but he's taking 6.3 3s per game since December 31st, moslty from the corner. Granted, Castle is also not a great shooter and Barnes is slumping, so the Spurs need someone who can pull the trigger from deep.
However, Fox has long been at his best when he's either slashing to the hoop or setting the table for shooters. Turning an undersized guard into an off-ball option is not a recepie for success.
"I think everybody right now, they're mentally, emotionally, or physically fatigued in some capacity, not just us, the whole league," excused Mitch Johnson of Fox's recent struggles. "And so, I think De'Aaron is playing as hard as I've ever seen him on both sides of the floor, pushing the pace, being a great team defender, pressuring the ball. The amount of output of energy is extreme, and I think he's been phenomenal."
While "phenomenal" might be a bit of a stretch, Fox is still very much in his prime, and a half-month slump shouldn't be reason to panic, espcially as the Spurs still hold onto second place in the Western Conference.