Spurs' De'Aaron Fox Lands Among NBA's 'Worst' Contracts

Through the first two rounds, the San Antonio Spurs' run to the NBA Finals ... De'Aaron Fox was a difference-maker.

Across series against the Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves, the two-time All-Star averaged 18.8 points and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 46.2% from the field and 34.6% from beyond the arc.

But then came the Western Conference Finals, and while the Spurs toppled the reigning-champion Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games, Fox started to slow down.

He'd reach a snail's pace once the NBA Finals began. 

Meanwhile, Dylan Harper may have had the best Finals showing from a rookie since Magic Johnson, raising questions about Fox's future in San Antonio. 

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The only problem? Well, Fox's is owed $221.7 million over the next four years and it appears highly unlikely one of the Spurs' rivals would be keen on taking that contract back in a hypothetical trade — even if San Antonio were to attach future assets to him. 

So when you see Fox land at No. 4 in Bleacher Report's Dave Favale's ranking of the eight worst contracts in the NBA, it's easy to understand why. 

"The aging curve of his skill set is the problem. Fox is already showing signs of athletic decline," Favale wrote. "His free-throw attempts per 100 possessions have dipped year-over-year since 2022-23, and he's taken at least 25 percent of his looks at the rim only once over the past half-decade."

Fox also proved that on the league's biggest stage, he couldn't rise to the occasion. Instead of serving as Wembanyama's co-star, he became a player San Antonio struggled to rely on offensively as the series wore on.

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Luckily for the Spurs, their core is still quite young — which means its also cheap, for now. 

Victor Wembanyama did just signed a $252 million extension (which is still cheaper than it could've been), but thankfully Harper and Stephon Castle still have time before their pay comes due. San Antonio also just locked up its top perimeter threat, Julian Champagnie, on a three-year, $45 million deal. 

So while it presently makes the most sense for head coach Mitch Johnson and the Spurs to try to find an alternative role for Fox, there seems to be no chance he'll be traded anytime soon. 

If we the media can recognize how poor Fox's contract is ... NBA front offices are surely able to do the same. 

Perhaps Fox could help rebuild the value he lost with his Finals performance in the 2026-27 regular season, but until he's able to remind everyone of the player he used to be, listing his contract as one of the worst in the league is more than fair.