De’Aaron Fox: Overpaid, Underpaid, or Just Right?

On August 4th, the San Antonio Spurs and De’Aaron Fox agreed to a four-year, $229 million max contract extension, keeping Fox with the Spurs through the 2029-30 season, by which time he will be 32 years old. The amount and length of this extension have raised several questions. Every year of his new contract, Fox’s salary will increase by roughly $4 million. Fox is undeniably an all-star player, but this deal puts San Antonio over the cap for the next four seasons, limiting their cap flexibility before they even have an opportunity to re-sign Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper when their contracts are up.

Another concern many have is the growing logjam at the guard position. The Spurs traded for Fox midseason, Castle just won Rookie of the Year, and they selected Harper with the 2nd overall pick in this year’s draft. Add to that the presence of 25-year-old Devin Vassell, who is set to make $27 million annually through the 2029 season, and you have a situation where minutes and roles will likely become a problem. The Fox extension raises questions about how this all fits within the Spurs' current timeline, which seemed to focus more on development and long-term planning.

So is Fox overpaid, underpaid, or just right?

De’Aaron Fox is a great player, and the idea of him alongside Wemby is seriously intriguing. Anything can happen this season. However, the fact that the Spurs just drafted another player at his position adds some confusion to the situation. I don’t think Fox is severely overpaid, but the timing of this deal raises more questions than anything else.