It feels like the basketball Gods just can’t stop throwing curveballs at the San Antonio Spurs. As if Victor Wembanyama’s shocking season-ending injury diagnosis wasn’t enough, now there’s another reason the organization might just want to hit the pause button on this rollercoaster of a season. But what’s the latest gut punch? Well, it all circles back to De’Aaron Fox.

The 27-year-old star might have just hinted at something more serious than it appears when chatting with Spurs reporter Mike Finger. Following Thursday’s victory over the Phoenix Suns, San Antonio came crashing down the very next night in an ugly 110-125 blowout loss to the struggling Detroit Pistons. And right at the center of that mess? Fox.

The man logged the most minutes (30) but somehow ended up with a brutal -35 net rating—the worst on the team. Nay, the game!

After the matchup, the 2023 All-Star finally addressed the elephant in the room: his nagging finger injury. “It’s basically been the same the rest of the year,” he admitted. He went on to explain that while he’s tried working out without tape, the real issue is unavoidable—every time he catches the ball, his injured finger takes the hit. And if that wasn’t alarming enough, he even held up his left hand for everyone to see, revealing that he couldn’t properly lift the injured finger.

Then came the real bombshell. “At some point, we’re gonna have to sit down and get it fixed, ’cause I’m not playing with tape on my dominant hand for the rest of my career.” That’s not exactly the kind of statement that screams, ‘I’ll push through the season no matter what.’

If you’ve ever hooped at any level—even just a casual pickup game—you know the pain of jamming a finger. But for an NBA player? That’s a whole different beast. And De’Aaron Fox’s history with finger injuries doesn’t make this any easier.

During the 2023 playoffs, he suffered an avulsion fracture on his left index finger, a painful injury where a piece of bone is literally yanked away by a tendon or muscle. He battled through it but saw his numbers dip noticeably as the series against the Warriors progressed. And he’s not alone—Kobe Bryant once played through multiple avulsion fractures in his career, using protective gear to power through the pain. But let’s be real, playing through an injury like this isn’t ideal, and the 6’3 guard knows it.

What’s next for the San Antonio Spurs with De’Aaron Fox’s injury?

To say this season has been brutal would be an understatement. Wembanyama’s year-ending diagnosis—a blood clot in his right shoulder—was already a massive blow, even though it’s thankfully not career-threatening. Add to that Gregg Popovich’s recent stroke scare (which, luckily, turned out to be mild), and you have a team that’s been dealing with way more off-court drama than actual basketball.

It’s a harsh reminder that nothing in this sport, or life in general, is ever guaranteed. One moment, a team is gearing up for a promising future, and the next, they’re scrambling just to keep the pieces together. This was supposed to be the season where San Antonio finally started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel—Wemby’s Rookie of the Year campaign had injected fresh energy into the franchise, Chris Paul’s leadership was expected to accelerate the team’s growth, and Pop, with decades of experience, was finally ready to steer the ship toward relevance again.

Now? The Spurs are left searching for answers. But all hope isn’t lost.

While Wemby’s absence is a huge setback, this stretch could turn into a valuable developmental period for guys like Castle, Vassell, and Sochan. This is their chance to step up, learn, and take on bigger roles. And then there’s De’ Aaron Fox. Originally brought in to orchestrate pick-and-rolls with Wemby, he now has to shift gears and become the team’s primary offensive engine. It won’t be easy, but if there’s one thing we know about Fox, it’s that he’s built for the moment.

Whether or not he makes it through the season without shutting things down remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure—San Antonio’s season has turned into a survival test, and all eyes are on Fox to see how he navigates it.