The 2024-25 season just hasn't gone the San Antonio Spurs' way. First, they lost head coach Gregg Popovich for the season due to a health issue, and then superstar Victor Wembanyama was also ruled out for the remainder of the season shortly after De'Aaron Fox was acquired.
Despite still having Fox, Wembanyama's absence has proved catastrophic for the Spurs playoff chances. They have won just four of the 12 games since he was ruled out, and they were already three games out of the play-in tournament before his absence.
The season is slipping away from the Spurs, which could force them to make a tough decision regarding the roster. They currently have the eighth worst record in the NBA, and that would give them a 26% chance of landing a top four pick. If fans had their way, they would do just that, and a recent tidbit suggests that San Antonio may be throwing in the towel on this season.
The San Antonio Spurs must shut down De'Aaron Fox this season.
Fox has been playing with a broken finger on his shooting hand this season and will need offseason surgery. However, Fox has stated that he may opt to have that surgery on March 17th, a month before the end of the season.
Interestingly, De'Aaron Fox said he could end up getting surgery on his left pinky when the team visits Los Angeles for a Mar. 17 game. Said he'll have it looked at and "surgery may or may not happen that day."
— Michael C. Wright (@mikecwright) March 8, 2025
That would mean they would be without their two best players to close out the season. That would normally be a bad thing, but San Antonio is in a unique position. They already have a superstar in Wembanyama, who has the potential to be the best player in the NBA.
They also have Fox, who is one of the 30 best players in the league, as well as Stephon Castle, who is the Rookie of the Year favorite and has a chance to become a star in his own right. Adding a top 10 pick as well as another potential lottery pick from the Atlanta Hawks gives San Antonio a chance to add to their terrific core.
With little to play for, the San Antonio Spurs should tank this season.
First, they would have to punt on this season, including having Fox get his surgery sooner rather than wait until the summer. Preserving their place in the standings would ensure that they end up with a high pick in this year's draft. In that event, they could potentially draft a game changer that can help them return to title contention sooner.
If Fox is indeed shut down, expect Castle to play big minutes over the final 16 games of the season. That could accelerate his development and hopefully get him ready to play a larger role next season when both Wembanyama and Fox are healthy. Blake Wesley could also benefit.
He has been out of the rotation for most of the season but is one of the fastest players in the NBA and a good defender. He could get another chance to prove himself, as could fellow former first-round pick Malaki Branham, before the Spurs have to make a decision this summer whether to trade or waive them to clear out roster spots.
With the Spurs having little to play for, they should strongly consider shutting Fox down. Doing so would potentially help San Antonio down the road.