De'Aaron Fox's season-ending injury has implications on the Hornets

The Cooper Flagg matchups continue.

The San Antonio Spurs' star point guard De'Aaron Fox is OUT for the remainder of the season, as he undergoes season-ending surgery on his pinkie. Fox sustained the injury in October during training camp while a member of the Sacramento Kings.

So, what does this mean for the Charlotte Hornets?

It has numerous meanings for the team. The most obvious is that the two teams face off tonight in their second and final matchup of the season. In their first, a 117-116 Hornets victory in the Spectrum Center, the Spurs were a different team. They were still in a playoff push, with Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox leading the way.

After season season-ending injuries to Wembanyama (blood clots in his shoulder) and Fox, the Spurs have gone from a playoff push to playing "Capture the Flagg". Tonight could be a difficult matchup for the Hornets in their push for Flagg, as the Spurs will be led by an aging Chris Paul and rookie Stephon Castle.

Feb 7, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) drives to the basket against Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Hornets fans will remember Castle, who scored a career-high 33 points the last time the two teams met on February 7th.

Both teams will be fairly healthy, with the Spurs only key rotation pieces they are expected to miss will be Wembanyama and Fox, while the Hornets will be missing their usual group of players (Tre Mann, Brandon Miller, Grant Williams, and Josh Okogie).

As for the remainder of the season, the Hornets currently hold an 11.5-game lead over the Spurs in the Draft Lottery. As we've seen with recent history (Atlanta Hawks), that lead can mean just about nothing. If the ping pong balls fall the right way, the Spurs could end up with a core of Castle, Fox, Flagg, and Wembanyama.

The Hornets only hold a one-game lead on the New Orleans Pelicans, which, if they continue this positive stretch, the team would drop to the fourth-highest odds, outside of the 14% number that the top three teams get.

Once again, there really is no harm in losing this, as all teams have a real chance of landing the first overall selection. It would be good for Charles Lee and the future of the squad if they end the season strong. However, losing out on a chance for VJ Edgecombe, Ace Bailey, or Dylan Harper could greatly hurt this team in the long run.

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