De’Aaron Fox Explains Wanting Spurs Trade: ‘I Felt Like This Could Be a Special Team’

Before the Sacramento Kings traded De’Aaron Fox, it was reported that his preferred destination was the San Antonio Spurs.

He ultimately got his wish, and he told reporters why he felt that way ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks.

“I think with the way that they’re built with the athleticism, with the length they have,” Fox said. “Also, the youth. I just felt like this could be a special team.”

Fox will make his Spurs debut against Trae Young and the Hawks on Wednesday after he was previously listed as questionable.

“There’s no concern of ramping up, conditioning or whatnot,” acting Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson told reporters. “We know there will be a runway of learning our program and terminology. There will be some patience and some excitement on both sides from the group here waiting on them and then joining the group.

“It’ll just be something we work through and trying to expedite as much as possible without having a ton of practice time.”

That is excellent news for a San Antonio team that needs to make up ground in the Western Conference standings rather quickly.

It is in 12th place in the West and three games behind the Golden State Warriors for the final spot in the play-in tournament. With the season more than halfway over, Fox doesn’t have a ton of time to adjust if the Spurs are going to make a run.

It also remains to be seen how the team will balance his minutes with Chris Paul’s, but this move was as much about the long-term future as it was the rest of this season.

After all, Fox is just 27 years old and can be one of the league’s top point guards when playing at his best. He and Victor Wembanyama can make a dominant one-two punch for years to come, and Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell are two young building blocks who could also develop chemistry with the new addition.

The future is bright in San Antonio and will continue to be as long as Fox and Wembanyama work out as expected.