NBA reporter says it is time to give Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper the keys, replace De'Aaron Fox

The San Antonio Spurs picked up their first win of the NBA Finals on Monday night on the road against the New York Knicks. It was another close game, but this time the Spurs were finally able to close it out down the stretch.

De’Aaron Fox has struggled for San Antonio so far in the Finals. At times, he has hurt the Spurs more than he has helped.

“Suffice to say Game 3 wasn’t going well for De’Aaron Fox until that moment, and honestly, neither has the series. And that’s being kind. Fox has struggled with his shooting, made some mistakes, had stretches where he was hurting the Spurs,” NBA.com’s Shaun Powell wrote.

After Game 2 of the series, Fox began drawing criticism as Dylan Harper outperformed him in key stretches. In fact, NBA reporter Evan Sidery called for San Antonio to bench Fox in favor of 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,” Sidery wrote.

In Game 3, Stephon Castle and Harper both delivered strong performances, combining for 36 points. Sidery was quick to react after the game, this time suggesting the Spurs should hand the keys to their young duo.

“Watching how Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle are playing in a must-win spot in the NBA Finals, the clock is officially ticking with De’Aaron Fox as the Spurs’ lead ball handler. It’s officially time in 2026-27 to fully hand the backcourt keys over to Harper and Castle,” Sidery posted.

There is no doubt that Fox is underperforming while the young duo continues to outperform expectations. It is becoming increasingly clear that the future of San Antonio revolves around Victor Wembanyama, Harper, and Castle.

However, Fox still brings veteran experience that the young guards do not yet have. The duo’s time will come, and they could develop into one of the most athletic backcourts in the league. It is simply a matter of when that transition fully takes place.

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