After just 17 games with his new team, San Antonio Spurs star guard De’Aaron Fox is set to undergo season-ending surgery for tendon damage in his left pinkie finger, ESPN reported Thursday.
Fox, an All-Star in 2023, was acquired from the Sacramento Kings in advance of the trade deadline last month. In 17 games with the Spurs, Fox averaged 19.7 points, 6.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals.
The 27-year-old was cast in San Antonio as the co-star to second-year standout big man Victor Wembanyama. The 7-foot-3 phenom from France was in the midst of an All-Star season, but was ruled out for the season on Feb. 20 with a blood clot in his right shoulder.
Since losing Wembanyama, the Spurs have limped to a 4-8 record. The team’s play-in tournament hopes continue to dissipate, as they trail the 10th-seeded Mavericks by 4 1/2 games.
With Fox sidelined, rookie guard Stephon Castle is expected to play a larger role. The 20-year-old has averaged 13.4 points and 3.5 assists in 63 games this season with 15.1 points and 4.2 assists in 29 starts.
