The San Antonio Spurs had a historic meltdown in Game Four of the NBA Finals, completely falling apart in the second half, as the New York Knicks erased a 29-point deficit to move within one win of the NBA Championship.
While there is team-wide blame regarding the team’s disastrous second-half performance, All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox is arguably dealing with the most criticism after making multiple questionable plays. An NBA analyst blasted Fox while declaring the Spurs now have a major problem on their hands.
NBA Analyst Declares Spurs Need To Trade De’Aaron Fox
NBA analyst Brett Siegel took a massive shot at Fox, declaring that Fox now has the league’s worst contract and the Spurs have to move him before next season. Siegel said, “I think De’Aaron Fox has basically played himself into a scenario where the Spurs really need to consider his future this offseason.
But at the same time, you signed him to this $220 million contract, which is probably the worst in the NBA right now, given the Spurs’ situation. He’s not the same player he was with the Kings.”
Siegel added, “He is not the number one guard on this team anymore, it’s Stephon Castle. He’s probably not even the number two guard anymore because it’s Dylan Harper. The Spurs need to do something and they need to do it quick.
“So if I’m the Spurs, I’m going right to the Pelicans right now, I’m saying I’m giving you De’Aaron Fox, three or four first round picks for Trey Murphy and give me Jordan Poole.”
ClutchPoints’ @BrettSiegelNBA says De’Aaron Fox’s extension with the Spurs may be the worst contract in the NBA and suggests the Spurs should attempt to trade Fox and draft picks to the Pelicans for Trey Murphy and Jordan Poole 🤔
“De’Aaron Fox has basically played himself into… https://t.co/IdIW86BGBO pic.twitter.com/eWy2jKr4IE
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 11, 2026
Fox finished the Spurs’ 107-106 loss to the Knicks with 18 points, five rebounds, and seven assists. However, he’s receiving strong criticism for multiple errors during the team’s second-half meltdown. Fox had zero turnovers during the first half as the team built a huge lead.
He turned the ball over four times during the second-half collapse, with a couple of them clearly sloppy passes. While Fox had a strong shooting performance in the first half, he went cold in the second half.
Instead of using his speed and quickness to attack the paint, Fox continued settling for jumpers, even after the Spurs were in the bonus and could have put the game away at the foul line.
The final mistake and arguably the one Fox is receiving the most heat for is his failure to keep possession of the basketball in the final seconds of regulation and force the Knicks to foul him. Instead of going to the free-throw line to extend the Spurs’ lead, Fox attempted to score and was stuffed at the rim.
Siegel’s belief that the Spurs have to move Fox is something many of the team’s fans likely agree with. Many analysts believed this situation was inevitable as soon as the team drafted Dylan Harper second overall last summer.
In Harper and Stephon Castle, the Spurs have a potential All-Star backcourt that will continue growing with franchise player Victor Wembanyama.
While Fox starts playing under his four-year $221,760,000 extension next season, it’s hard to imagine there won’t at least be some interest, considering he’s still an All-Star-level player who plays solid defense and is capable of hitting clutch shots.
Siegel lists the New Orleans Pelicans as a suitor, and Trey Murphy III is an upgrade over Julian Champagnie.
Jordan Poole would give the Spurs instant offense off the bench. Whether the Pelicans would have interest in Fox is questionable, considering he’s not an ideal fit next to Zion Williamson and Derik Queen, and acquiring Fox would take the basketball out of the hands of All-Rookie guard Jeremiah Fears.
The Spurs have some things to discuss this summer, regardless of how the Finals turn out.
