De'Aaron Fox Trade Idea to Get the San Antonio Spurs Championship-Ready

The San Antonio Spurs are saying all the right things about believing in De'Aaron Fox, reportedly pledging their faith in him and even committing to start him in the upcoming season.

But we all saw Fox play like the third-best guard on the team during long stretches of the playoffs, and some intriguing numbers support the notion that the high-priced guard might already be holding the Spurs back from becoming the best version of themselves.

However San Antonio actually feels about Fox, it's never going to come out and bash him publicly or lament the four-year, $222 million extension it gave him—which kicks in this year, by the way. The wiser course would be to keep pumping up Fox's public value while actively looking for a trade to move him out of Harper and Castle's way.

You know, like this one.

The Trade

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San Antonio Spurs Acquire: Trey Murphy III, Dejounte Murray

New Orleans Pelicans Acquire: De'Aaron Fox, Luke Kornet, 2027 first-round pick (via ATL), 2028 first-round pick (via BOS), 2030 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick (via SAC), 2027 second-round pick, 2028 second-round pick (NOP's own), 2029 second-round pick (NOP's own)

Why San Antonio Does It

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Fox's Finals struggles aren't enough to justify trading him. He was clearly compromised by the ankle sprain he initially suffered in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. The Spurs don't need to rely solely on what happened last June.

Combine Fox's somewhat injury-related flop, his cap-clogging salary and a larger set of data showing San Antonio is more likely to reach its apex without him, and you've got the more thorough case for moving him.

During the 2025-26 regular season, San Antonio posted a plus-41.9 net rating when Victor Wembanyama played with Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper while Fox sat out. That was significantly better than it performed with Harper and Fox or Castle and Fox while the third member of the guard trio rested.

Some fans like the idea of playing all three guards with Wemby, but those units actually got outscored in a tiny 17-possession sample that also shows the Spurs aren't interested in going that small.

In this deal, San Antonio clears the runway for Harper and Castle to fly, adds a deadly shooter with great size in Murphy and onboards an old friend in Murray who'll be far better suited for third-guard duties than Fox and his $50 million salary.

The cost is high. If the Boston Celtics had to send out two first-rounders while taking back Paul George for Jaylen Brown, the Spurs need to double that pick outlay and throw in three seconds to convince the Pels they should take on Fox's salary and part with Murphy. Murray, coming off injury and on the books for $31 million in 2027-28, is probably not a positive asset in his post-Achilles-tear state.

Critically, San Antonio is only giving up one of its own firsts in the deal.

Why New Orleans Does It

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Murphy is a high-end wing, but Fox was an All-Star last season and would be a veteran first option for a Pelicans team that seems committed to winning this year. That $50 million salary might sting, but New Orleans can bank on more production from him than it was going to get from Murray for $33 million.

Jordan Poole's deal will expire after this season, which should minimize the long-term salary pain.

The real draw here is the draft capital.

San Antonio is sending four first-round picks, three of which come from other teams. The Kings 2031 first-rounder is the juiciest, but it's important that New Orleans is almost entirely getting selections that won't be devalued by San Antonio's likely success in the coming seasons. Two of the three seconds coming to the Pelicans are also their own, which gives them back more control of their draft fate.

Luke Kornet is mostly a salary-matching tool for the Spurs here, even if they'll have to find someone else cheap to back up Wemby. For the Pelicans, though, Kornet immediately becomes the best candidate to start at center. His size, rim-protection and rebounding are all qualities New Orleans' bigs failed to provide last year.

The Pelicans should ask for even more picks while trying to dump other unwanted salary on San Antonio. But if you view this as New Orleans getting three unprotected firsts for Murphy while swapping Murray for Fox, Kornet and another first-rounder, it checks out pretty well.