Getting De’Aaron Fox on this Phoenix Suns roster would make a lot of sense given the team’s clear need for a high-level point guard to pair alongside Devin Booker. Unfortunately for the franchise, the time to make that move has come and gone, even if the opportunity to trade for him could appear in the coming months.
Though ESPN notes that the San Antonio Spurs are committed to their floor general after he helped them in their deep playoff run, the writing is on the wall that he could become available in due time to help free up minutes for their other star guards. While the thought of adding a star point guard next to Booker could be enticing, Fox is one they must avoid.
Fox is not worth giving up on Dillon Brooks for
The San Antonio Spurs proved by making it to the NBA Finals with Fox as a complementary player that their roster is set to compete for many years, whether he is on the team or not. It is also unfair to say that his decision-making in the Finals vs. the New York Knicks in crucial moments alone cost them a title.
It didn’t help, but the reality is the Spurs weren’t ready to take advantage of the fantastic positions they put themselves in. Fox can play, but the Suns should not be interested.
Dillon Brooks would have to be in most hypothetical trades to make the math work thanks to his new extension, but the Suns should resist. He brings a level of intensity to every regular season contest that Fox cannot match. He was the best player for the Suns in the playoffs last time out, while defensively, the team would take a massive hit swapping Brooks for Fox.
The Canadian international alone wouldn’t get a deal done, meaning one of Jalen Green or Miles Bridges would also have to be in the trade.
Green for Fox straight up would be the dream, and the Suns really could talk themselves into being one of the better teams in the Western Conference if that were the case. Fox’s stock continues to plummet, but he is only now entering… wait for it… a four-year, $229 million contract.
No thank you.
Future availability of Fox should not interest Suns at any cost
If the 28-year-old were to one day become a buyout candidate, this would be a different story. That won’t be happening any time soon, though, and even if the Spurs canvass the league looking for potential suitors at a price the Suns can afford, they need to avoid it at all costs.
It's better to have the flexibility to trade for a legitimate star if the opportunity arises. The organization has already overpaid for Bridges, who is not even as good a player as Fox and comes with his fair share of baggage.
It's a case of the right player, wrong time, but that doesn’t mean the Suns shouldn’t be looking to get Booker a high-level point guard at the next opportunity. For now, the Suns will operate with Booker as their primary decision-maker, but don't sleep on Jordan Goodwin, who is the unexpected solution staring them in the face.
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