SAN ANTONIO -- Spurs point guard De'Aaron Fox expressed doubt Monday at media day regarding his potential availability for the team's Oct. 22 season opener at Dallas due to a right hamstring injury.
Fox, 27, suffered the injury during a summer workout, and it appears the club will hold out the inaugural NBA Clutch Player of the Year winner throughout the preseason and likely the season opener as a precautionary measure.
"I definitely won't be playing in the preseason, that's for sure," Fox said. "I don't think I'll be ready for opening night. But we're going to play it by ear. I feel like I can play right now. But I don't have that [medical] expertise. I'm not going to lie to you: I was running 15 mph already [on a treadmill]. I think that's probably faster than most of the guys that are here. So, when I say I think I'm ready, I for real think I'm ready."
Fox signed a four-year $229 million maximum extension over the summer coming off a 2024-25 campaign that was cut short due to a left pinky finger injury that in March required season-ending surgery. Fox made his Spurs debut last February after joining the club as part of a three-team trade that involved multiple players and draft picks.
A one-time All-Star who once received All-NBA recognition, Fox averaged 19.7 points and 6.8 assists in 17 games last season for San Antonio, teaming with franchise superstar Victor Wembanyama for just five games as the latter's season ended prematurely due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
"[Wembanyama] was a big reason why I wanted to come here," Fox said. "I see the youth and the talent that they have. We know there will be growing pains, but you would love to win while you have growing pains rather than losing and trying to have moral victories."