De'Aaron Fox Expected to Thrive Next Season for Spurs After Finals Blunders

Ask almost any San Antonio Spurs fan who they want starting alongside Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama next season, and they'll tell you Dylan Harper. In the NBA Finals, Harper outplayed De'Aaron Fox, seemingly booting him out of the starting lineup. However, with four years left on his maximum contract extension, trading Fox is easier said than done, and the Spurs remain committed to him. Fox, to his credit, is one of the better point guards in the NBA, although he seems to be on the decline and never really developed a reliable 3-point shot. Harper, in an 82-game season, isn't as reliable as Fox probably is, but he brims with potential. For now, though, the Spurs are moving forward with Fox in the starting five and Harper coming off the bench. There's reason to believe that's a winning recipe. READ MORE: Victor Wembanyama Could Force OKC Thunder to Make Massive Trade READ MORE: Victor Wembanyama Hints at Free Agency Signing He Wants Spurs to Make READ MORE: Ceilings for Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper Revealed Why Spurs Are Confident in De'Aaron Fox Despite a lackluster Finals appearance, Fox is probably the second-best player on the Spurs. That claim might not last much longer, but for now, it's true. Over the entire season, Fox was second on the roster in VORP and third in PER. Those advanced stats try to measure a player's overall impact on the season. San Antonio would rather look at the 72-game sample size instead of the five games he blew in the Finals. "Despite his struggles in the NBA Finals, Fox is expected to start opposite Stephon Castle in the backcourt with Harper coming off the bench," reported ESPN's Michael Wright. "After Fox's up-and-down performances during the NBA Finals, the team remains committed to the veteran, who has gained more chemistry over the summer working with Victor Wembanyama. The two didn't spend much time together last season due to Fox suffering a hamstring injury in early July." Most fans have made their peace with the fact that Mitch Johnson will start Fox over Harper. However, there are some concerns that Harper might not be pleased with staying on the bench. It seems those worries are unfounded. "Harper, meanwhile, is fine with his expected role as a reserve despite a brilliant postseason in which he averaged 14.1 points, 2.7 assists, and a steal per game," Wright added. With Harper prepared to stay in a reduced role for just one more season, the Spurs can stay the course.