The Nets Should Monitor This Spurs Guard for an Offseason Trade

Brooklyn has plenty of assets to make a splash on the trade market.

Nov 24, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (left) and Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez (right) greet each other before the game at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Michael Porter Jr. reunited with head coach Jordi Fernández when he was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the Brooklyn Nets in the 2025 offseason. One offseason later, Fernández has another opportunity to reunite with a former player he coached as an assistant in the NBA.

The San Antonio Spurs are currently down 1-0 in the NBA Finals. They've gotten surprisingly good contributions from their young guards –– Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper –– throughout the playoffs. In another surprise, two-time All-Star De'Aaron Fox has had a poor playoff performance, which the Nets could take advantage of.

San Antonio could look to get off of Fox's veteran max contract extension that kicks in next season and fully move the reins over to Castle and Harper. He'll be making an estimated average salary of $55.4 million through the 2029-2030 season.

Making a move on Fox would be a risk the Nets have to be willing to take, given his playoff run, but he's far from a bad player and could fill a big need. He's averaging 15.9 points, 5.9 assists and four rebounds per game on 42.4% field goal shooting and 29.5% three-point shooting through this postseason run.

Part of the reason that Fox hasn't been his usual self is due to the ball not being in his hands as much as usual. His usage went down from 24% in the regular season to 22% in the playoffs.

Brooklyn can play into Fox's strengths by getting the ball in his hands often. The best statistical season of his career was in 2023-24, where he saw a career-high usage rate. The Nets allowed Michael Porter Jr. to reach a 29% usage rate in his first season with the team, and he excelled.

In Fox's case, getting the ball in his hands more could actually translate to more wins. He's a willing playmaker, averaging more than five assists per game in every season except his rookie year.

Since Brooklyn would be doing the Spurs a favor by helping them free up cap space in this hypothetical trade scenario, it likely wouldn't have to give up too many quality draft assets. It would make sense, however, to send Michael Porter Jr. away in the deal so that the Nets don't get into cap casualties of their own.

Given Fox's career as a talented play initiator and the fact that advanced metrics consistently rate him as a positive offensive impact player, the Nets should seriously consider making a bid this offseason. He fills their greatest need: a proven lead guard who can create effective offense for himself and his teammates.