De'Aaron

Fox

Fox underwent season-ending surgery on his left pinkie finger in mid-March, about six weeks after being traded to the Spurs from Sacramento. He recently told Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle that he’s been cleared to resume on-court activities, which have included some 5-on-5 play. Also, Fox hopes to ink a contract extension with the Spurs this offseason. With one year remaining on his current deal, the point guard will be eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $229 million on August 3.

Charania’s report said that the surgery will take place on Tuesday and will expedite his recovery for next season. Fox suffered the injury during training camp and had been playing through it all season. Over the Spurs’ final 18 games of the regular season, Stephon Castle should slide into the starting lineup and have a chance to strengthen his case for Rookie of the Year. Fox averaged 19.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 34 minutes across his 17 games with San Antonio this season.

Fox scored at least 30 points for the first time in 17 games since he was acquired by the Spurs before the trade deadline. The 27-year-old point guard was just one rebound shy of a triple-double as he pulled down nine rebounds in the win over the Mavericks. Fox played 41 minutes Wednesday, but he had played less than 30 minutes in two of the previous four games. San Antonio could look to curtail his minutes down the stretch as their lottery chances become a priority, which would be frustrating for fantasy managers.

Fox had a good night shooting the basketball, making 66.7 percent of his attempts. However, it wasn’t enough to keep the Spurs from getting blitzed in Minneapolis, the team’s seventh loss in nine games. While there may be a desire to give Fox all the time he needs to place his imprint on the roster, it’s fair to wonder if the Spurs will either decrease his minutes or hold him out of the occasional game as the season winds down. San Antonio plays four games during Week 19, starting with the Mavericks on Monday.

Fox was traded to the Spurs prior to the trade deadline after he and the Kings failed to agree on a contract extension. On Friday, the 27-year-old point guard struggled in a matchup against his former teammates. Fox had 16 points on 17 shots as he shot 35 percent from the floor. It was an off-night, but Fox has been solid overall since the All-Star break as he ranks just outside the top-50 in fantasy value in that time.

Fox was solid on Tuesday, and that’s all the Spurs needed, with Devin Vassell having the best night of his NBA career. Since the All-Star break, Fox has provided fifth-round value in eight-cat formats, ranking just outside the top 50. With the Spurs trailing the Mavericks by four games in the loss column, getting back into the play-in conversation is not unrealistic. That may motivate the team to allow its veterans to play out the rest of the season, benefiting Fox managers.

Fox didn’t necessarily have a terrible Sunday night, but fantasy managers likely hoped for a more robust stat line. While he has been a top-50 player since the All-Star break, it’s fair to wonder if having two point guards on the floor for significant stretches limits the fantasy ceilings of Fox and Chris Paul. CP3 played 28 minutes on Sunday, finishing with six points, three rebounds, six assists, one block and two three-pointers. Managers who have Fox rostered should not lose any sleep over his Sunday night, but he boasts a lower fantasy ceiling in this current lineup.

Finishes like Saturday are why the Spurs moved to acquire Fox before the trade deadline. His jumper with 1.8 seconds remaining was the difference in Memphis, as San Antonio pulled out the win despite Jaren Jackson Jr. scoring a season-high 42 points. Over the past three weeks, Fox has provided top-50 value in eight-cat formats. Sharing the court with another point guard, Chris Paul (8/3/8/1 with two three-pointers), has cut into Fox’s fantasy value, but he remains a productive guard to have rostered. The Spurs play three games during Week 18, starting with the Nets on Tuesday.

Fantasy managers who have Fox rostered will be pleased with the assists and steals, with the six pilfers matching his career-high (living up to the “Swipa” nickname). Unfortunately, efficiency was a problem, as Fox shot 6-of-21 from the field and committed six turnovers. He has averaged 2.8 turnovers per game since making his Spurs debut, so this category has not been a significant issue for Fox. He has provided top-30 value in eight-cat formats as a Spur, not too far removed from his season-long production (top-25).

Fox has played well since being traded to San Antonio, and that hasn’t changed with Victor Wembanyama out of the lineup. Unfortunately, he didn’t get much help on Friday, as he was the only starter to score in double figures. Fox will continue to be the star for the Spurs for the rest of the season, and that should lead to more excellent nights like this one. San Antonio will wrap up this week in New Orleans on Sunday, and they have a four-game week coming up after that.