Evaluating De’Aaron Fox’s first five games with the Spurs

Wembanyama has a real go-to partner

De’Aaron Fox’s first five games as a Spur have shown how much another game-changer was needed on the team. His speed is a perfect compliment to Victor Wembanyama because he puts defenders on his back hip very easily. Despite the team’s 2-3 record, the offensive rating has been high (117.2) since he arrived, and early returns show that the Spurs got another All-Star caliber player, so trading for him was the right move.

Notably, Fox is still in the “not trying to step on anyone’s toes” part of his integration, as he is taking 3.7 fewer drives to the rim in his five games with the Spurs. Yet, he’s averaging 21.6 points on a 53.8 effective field goal percentage, with 3.4 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 1.8 steals and two turnovers. He is an off-ball threat, too, as he can hit jumpers after whipping around screens and score on catch-and-go moves after the pick. In fact, the Spurs have to find more ways to use him as a screener when Chris Paul or Stephon Castle have the ball to take advantage of his athleticism without being doubled.

But his real value is on-ball because he doesn’t need a screen to get open, draws an extra defender and raises the pace. Keep in mind that he is seventh in total fast break points (25) among all NBA players over the last five games.

Having a guard who can get to the heart of defenses has made things easier. Over this span, most of his shots (28.8 percent) came from fewer than five feet and he made 69.6 percent of those. He also generated 5.8 free throw attempts per game, which is slightly lower than he was averaging before the trade.

One of his goals should be to average around eight free-throw attempts, which would be a career-high. He’s capable of it with how he plays at different speeds, and more opportunities will be there when he starts attacking the paint with the same volume as he did in Sacramento.

Additionally, what makes Fox extra valuable is his clutch gene. His late scoring tied the game and took the lead but unfortunately did not count in Charlotte. Since he can get anywhere he wants on the dribble and is a former Clutch Player of the Year, he’s arguably already the team‘s best closing option.

So far, his top targets are Wemby and Harrison Barnes, with 10 assists to each. Interestingly, only two have come on pick-and-roll sets with the former. Most of the feeds come from passes to the post or to the perimeter. This is nothing to be discouraged about because the partnership is still in its infancy. Yet, when they develop more chemistry, this two-man action will be a nightmare to stop.

His biggest weaknesses are on defense. He can get caught ball-watching or sagging too far away from the arc, plus his slight frame doesn’t help him against stronger players. One of his most significant lapses with the team was uncovering Bridges in the corner, allowing the game-winer in Charlotte. But when engaged, he can be impactful as an on-ball pest.

At his first shootaround with the team in Atlanta, Fox said, “To win, you have to play defense… with the intangibles that everybody here has, I think this could be a really good defensive team.” He is correct, but the team surely needs more attention to detail from him there.

Furthermore, the rotations have not been a great fit. The starting lineup of Fox, Paul, Devin Vassell, Barnes and Wembanyama holds a dreadful 117.6 defensive rating in 61 minutes. Comically, this lineup is already the sixth-most used in minutes for the team this season.

When Castle is inserted in Paul’s place, the team deploys elite coverages, with a 100 defensive rating in 11 minutes. The trade-off so far with this lineup is that it has trouble scoring, and registers an 87.5 offensive rating. Regardless of the concerns with subbing out Paul, this unit should be used more because Castle is rapidly developing, plus his athleticism and strength are assets the other don’t have. For example, using Castle to pressure the dribble and having Fox creeping in on the passing lanes is a deadly combination.

These five games were only a taste of how good Fox is. There is no doubt he will use the All-Star break to learn more of the team’s schemes and sets to be more prepared for the last 30 outings. But for now, he gets a B for the start of his Spurs career.