San Antonio Spurs point guard De’Aaron Fox is eligible for a four-year contract worth up to $229 million this summer, but NBA analyst Bobby Marks has expressed reservations about the team committing to such a deal. Marks highlighted concerns about salary cap implications and roster balance as the Spurs consider extending Fox’s contract.
Expert Cautions Against a Large Commitment to Fox
During his ESPN podcast on Friday, Bobby Marks outlined why locking Fox into a max extension could be risky for San Antonio given their current team development stage. He pointed out that Fox qualifies for an extension similar to Luka Doncic‘s, with a potential value between $222 million and $229 million over four years. According to Marks, the first-year salary for such an extension, starting in the 2026-2027 season, would range from $49 million to $51 million.
Fox arrived in San Antonio at the trade deadline after the Spurs sent three first-round picks and guard Sidy Cissoko to Sacramento. This trade was part of a three-team deal also involving the Chicago Bulls, who in turn traded Zach LaVine to the Kings.
De’Aaron Fox is eligible (for the) same numbers as Luka,
Marks said.
They’re both in that seven to nine years of service range, four years, up to $229 million. Potentially, it could be $222 (million). The first-year salary extension, which would be for the 2026-2027 period, would be between $49 and $51 million.
BREAKING: Sacramento is finalizing a trade to send De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in a multi-team trade that moves Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine to the Kings, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Ftmo8N4hMj
— Shams Charania, NBA Insider
Salary Cap Constraints with Key Players Approaching Extensions
Marks emphasized the broader financial challenge the Spurs face, noting that Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio’s young star, is currently under a rookie deal but will be extension-eligible next year. Signing Wembanyama to a max contract would pressure the team’s payroll, especially alongside a potential Fox max deal.
That’s the last year Victor Wembanyama is on his rookie scale contract. Victor is extension eligible next year. What does that mean from the Spurs’ perspective? You would have a little bit of cap space, potentially in the summer of 2026, before Victor’s number kicks in,
Marks added.
The Spurs must also consider future salary increases for key players like Stephon Castle and prospects such as Dylan Harper, factors that could strain the team’s salary cap over the next several seasons.
Evaluating Fox’s Role and Value to the Spurs
While Fox is a talented player, Marks questioned whether he truly merits a max contract. He suggested that Fox, though a strong starter, may not be among the league’s top 25 players currently and questioned whether the Spurs should allocate over $50 million annually to a player who has not consistently reached all-star status.
Fox is a really good player. Is he a top 25 player? I don’t think so. Is he a max player? That’s for the Spurs to determine. Would he be a max player? If he were in Denver, based on their finances, would he be a max player? No, I don’t (think so). I think you have to be careful handing out $51-$52 million contracts to really good players who are top-level starters but not all-stars. That’s how I stand
— Bobby Marks, NBA Analyst
Fox was an NBA All-Star once in 2023, but his scoring declined after joining the Spurs, dropping from an average of 25 points per game with Sacramento to 19.7 points per game in 17 games for San Antonio last season.
Younger Players Could Influence the Spurs’ Future Roster Decisions
The emergence of younger talent like Dylan Harper offers the Spurs potential alternatives at point guard, which could make Fox less indispensable. An anonymous Western Conference scout compared Harper’s offensive style to Spurs legend Manu Ginobili and suggested that if Harper can develop a reliable three-point shot, the team might consider moving on from Fox.
An anonymous Western Conference scout believes Dylan Harper could make De’Aaron Fox expendable in San Antonio.
“[Harper] has some [Manu] Ginobili to his offensive game. If the 3-point shot ever becomes a true weapon [for him], he makes Fox expendable and gives San Antonio a nice…”
— Western Conference Scout
De’Aaron Fox’s Career Path So Far
De’Aaron Fox, now 27, had his career-best season in 2023-24, averaging 26.6 points and two steals per game. He entered the NBA as the fifth overall pick in the 2017 draft, selected by the Sacramento Kings after a standout freshman year at the University of Kentucky. At Kentucky, Fox averaged 16.7 points per game and delivered a memorable 39-point performance against Lonzo Ball and UCLA in the Sweet 16 before the Wildcats exited in the Elite 8.
Implications for the Spurs’ Future Moves
San Antonio’s decision on whether to offer De’Aaron Fox a max extension will have significant consequences for their roster construction and financial flexibility. Committing to Fox at this salary level alongside the impending Wembanyama max deal could limit the Spurs’ ability to add complementary players. Balancing current talent with promising young prospects like Dylan Harper and managing the salary cap cautiously will be crucial as the franchise continues to rebuild.