The San Antonio Spurs have made it clear that they don't plan on trading De'Aaron Fox before the NBA season starts. However, the trade deadline isn't until February, so San Antonio will have plenty of time to assess if Fox is actually a long-term piece.

If the Spurs do trade away Fox, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle will be the only viable ball-handlers on the roster. In the starting lineup, that's more than adequate, although they would sorely lack depth.

That's why any trade that sees Fox leave must bring back a solid point guard. He wouldn't have to be an All-Star, but Mitch Johnson would have to trust him to run the offense for extended periods.

One mock trade does just that, but the price is very steep.

READ MORE: Stephon Castle Drops Massive Hint on De'Aaron Fox's Role With Spurs

READ MORE: Spurs Land Proven Playoff Riser in NBA Mock Trade

READ MORE: San Antonio Spurs Can't Escape This NBA Mock Trade

The Denver Nuggets are the only team currently above the second apron, and desperately want to shed salary. Aaron Gordon seems like a prime trade candidate. Before the Spurs signed Tobias Harris, adding Gordon would have made a lot of sense.

Now, though, they should turn their sights to Jamal Murray. He just had the best season of his career, finally making the All-Star Game. If the Spurs added him, Harper would continue to come off the bench.

The Spurs could send De'Aaron Fox, Keldon Johnson, a 2027 first-round pick (via ATL), and a 2031 pick swap (via DAL or MIN) to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Jamal Murray and Cam Johnson.

This deal allows Denver to remain competitive while upgrading the Spurs' roster. The Nuggets are given two additional draft picks and shed roughly $5 million in salary. Of course, Murray has three seasons left on his deal, and Fox has four. 

If the Nuggets don't want to give up Johnson for Johnson, they could send Christian Braun to the Spurs. Braun can be a solid two-way wing, although he's injury-prone and is about to start a five-year, $125 million extension. It's one of the worst contracts in the league, so if the Spurs took it on, they'd likely save on draft capital.

Either way, the centerpiece of this mock trade is swapping Fox for Murray. Fox is more durable than Murray is, although Murray might be a better player. He's certainly a better shooter and should be able to coexist with Castle and Harper better than Fox could.

Would the Nuggets be eager to part with Murray? Nope, but Fox would be a solid point guard, and his slashing ability would work well next to Nikola Jokic. Plus, Denver needs to cut costs somewhere. They'd likely try to push for Braun to be sent out instead of Johnson, but if they want draft picks, they'd need to find a deal that works for the Spurs.