The San Antonio Spurs have gone over a full year since trading for an NBA player. On draft night, they completed a trade with the Denver Nuggets for the 26th pick, landing Tarris Reed Jr., although they added a pick, not a player.
Last June, the Spurs shipped Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, and a second-rounder to the capital for Kelly Olynyk. The Spurs, in short, don’t make trades that often. It’s rare that they’re seriously mentioned in blockbuster speculation and rumors.
However, this summer has been the exception. After a lackluster Finals performance, De’Aaron Fox has found himself centered in mock trades. Of course, the Spurs have Dylan Harper lying in wait, so there is some urgency surrounding getting Fox off the books.
In addition to Fox, Keldon Johnson seems poised to be sent away. Now in the last year of his contract, the Spurs opted not to extend him. Only owed $17.5 million, it wouldn’t be hard to send him to a team looking for rebounding and wing depth.
As San Antonio navigates rumors and offers, one factor will determine who they ship out, if anyone: demand.
Spurs Aren’t Drowning in Trade Offers
How do we know that the Spurs aren’t fielding offer after offer? If they had been, a deal would have been made.
Johnson is a fan and locker room favorite, although by moving Julian Champagnie to the bench, re-signing Harrison Barnes, investing in Carter Bryant, and drafting Jayden Quaintance, it’s pretty clear that the Spurs aren’t desperate to hold onto their longest-tenured player.
If they were made a reasonable offer, they probably would have pulled the trigger. The same could be said for Fox.
In 2025, the Spurs sent Tre Jones, Zach Collins, Sidy Cissoko, and picks for Fox. That summer, they inked him to a four-year maximum extension. He rewarded the Spurs with an All-Star season and 62 wins, but disappeared when they needed him most.
While he is a capable player, the Spurs are eager to see what Harper can do with a bigger role. However, with the bitter taste of the playoff failures still fresh, Fox’s value has never been lower. If the Spurs were to trade him now, a contender wouldn’t take him, and a rebuilding team would demand a pick (or several) to be attached to him just to justify taking on his contract.
Both Johnson and Fox had solid seasons, but that’s not what anyone is remembering them for. As much as fans would like to see them shipped off, it takes two to tango, and the demand for both of those players has dipped.
Despite offseason rumors swirling, expect the Spurs to allow both Fox and Johnson to play substantial minutes to kick off next season. Maybe they can save their reputations and bring something back in return.
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