NBA Trade Rumors: Spurs should trade for this 3-and-D sniper!

The San Antonio Spurs entered last season’s NBA Finals on the precipice of a championship, pushing the series to maximum intensity behind generational big man Victor Wembanyama. However, despite controlling long stretches of play, San Antonio ultimately fell short—a defeat that highlighted the franchise's backcourt youth, defensive mismatches, and rotational vulnerabilities under championship pressure.

The Finals Catalyst: Fox’s Struggles and Dylan Harper’s Surge

No player faced a tougher Finals campaign than veteran point guard De'Aaron Fox. Battling lingering injury issues throughout the series, Fox struggled to contain opposing point-of-attack drives while his perimeter efficiency dipped.

The drop-off sparked intense debate among league analysts, with many calling for head coach Gregg Popovich to lean into rookie guard Dylan Harper.

"The Spurs are outscoring the Knicks by 15.3 points per 100 possessions when Dylan Harper shares the court with Victor Wembanyama. Needing to win three of the next four to force a Game 7 in the NBA Finals, it's time to bench De'Aaron Fox in favor of Wembanyama's long-term option," noted NBA reporter Evan Sidery during the championship series.

Spurs Finals Backcourt Comparison:
• De'Aaron Fox: 6-Foot-3 | 185 lbs | Struggled with injury mobility & point-of-attack defense
• Dylan Harper: 6-Foot-5 | 215 lbs | +15.3 Net Rating on court with Wembanyama | Switchable physical defense

As CBS Sports' Sam Quinn detailed, Harper's physical profile offered a superior defensive matchup against power guard play:

"Harper, listed at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, is bigger than Fox (6-3, 185) and defends far more physically. That better equips him to guard Brunson and potentially switch onto bigger players as well."

The Proposal: A Landscape-Shifting Blockbuster

To address their backcourt congestion, clear a primary path for Harper and Stephon Castle, and inject versatile two-way size around Wembanyama, Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes proposed a massive blockbuster swap with the New Orleans Pelicans:

The Proposed Blockbuster Framework:
• San Antonio Spurs Receive: F Trey Murphy III & G Dejounte Murray
• New Orleans Pelicans Receive: G De'Aaron Fox, C Luke Kornet, 2027 1st-Round Pick (via ATL), 
                               2028 1st-Round Swap (via BOS), 2030 1st-Round Pick, 2031 1st-Round Swap (via SAC), 
                               2027 2nd-Round Pick, 2028 2nd-Round Pick & 2029 2nd-Round Pick

Cap Mechanics & Roster Realignment

From a financial perspective, taking back Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy III—who combine for $226 million across their long-term contracts—requires San Antonio to surrender significant draft equity, including three future first-round picks and multiple pick swaps.

For San Antonio, acquiring Murphy gives Wembanyama an elite 3-and-D wing who shoots nearly 39% from deep while guarding premier perimeter options. Meanwhile, reuniting with Dejounte Murray provides proven scoring and veteran backcourt leadership without hindering the developmental runways of Harper and Castle.

The Executive Verdict

Trading an All-Star guard like De'Aaron Fox along with a vault of draft picks is a bold, high-stakes move. However, by clearing backcourt minutes for Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle while securing Trey Murphy III's two-way wing play, Brian Wright and the Spurs' front office can build a deeper, more switchable lineup built to win championships alongside Victor Wembanyama.

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