De’Aaron Fox came to San Antonio for a fresh start. Pairing up with the young-and-upcoming superstar Victor Wembanyama instantly catapulted the Spurs into possible contention talks. However, Wemby’s season-ending ailment meant the tandem could only appear in five games, leaving much to be desired. But, even though they haven’t even spent a month playing together, Kevin O’Connor feels it’s time for a change.

He notably pointed towards the Spurs’ spacing concerns. They ranked 20 in three-point shooting last season. Neither Fox nor Stephon Castle shot over 30% from beyond the arc. O’Connor thinks the Spurs can’t address that problem without making a move for one piece “perfect sense for them,”. And he feels the Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen fits the Spurs’ requirements.

“Like to me, Lauri Markkanen is one of the types of guys that if I’m the Spurs, I’m like, “Yes, sign me up. Bring me Lauri Markkanen.” Because of the shooting ability and everything he does on ball, off ball, motion, movement, passing. Like Lauri Markkanen fits anywhere, and he brings exactly what the Spurs need with his shooting ability in the front court,” he said on the Kevin O’Connor Show.

Markkanen has been a widely pursued trade target since last season. His appeal only grew after a splendid EuroBasket 2025 campaign. He led Finland to the semifinals while becoming only the second player in the competition to record multiple 40-point games. Markkanen has also shot a blistering 37.3% from three since his sophomore campaign- 997 threes.

And there’s something to be said about Connor’s critique- notably, the Spurs brought in Fox not to space the floor, but to be the primary ball handler. Someone who can create havoc with his unparalleled speed and athleticism to pair with the Spurs’ unicorn’s tangibles. With an average of 5.6 3-point attempts, Fox was only making less-than-desired 27.4%. However, even without Wembanyama to share the floor, his assist numbers nearly notably increased.

The fellow European star in Markkanen could certainly help in ways the Spurs haven’t had before. Another 7-footer to pair alongside Wemby, both in their primes, would not only wreak havoc offensively but also squash the opponent’s frontcourt significantly. Add in the Finnish star’s versatility, paired with his athleticism- he’s not far from being a unicorn himself.

The Finnish forward has evolved into a multidimensional scorer. Rising as an All-Star in Utah, a move to the Spurs would give him a chance to compete. De’Aaron Fox’s $37 million would need to be part of the trade to make it happen. But do they really need to act so early?

The Spurs’ much-needed summer signings

Kevin O’Connor doesn’t trust that the Spurs can solve their woes from last season. He thinks “I don’t think the roster around them is quite exactly what it needs to be for them to reach their potential. That’s where a trade’s going to have to come in at some point this year or next summer,” said O’Connor.

He feels the Fox and Victor Wembanyama don’t have the right roster to flourish as a pair. However, that’s a presumption without a huge sample. The Spurs see De’Aaron Fox as the ideal counterpart for their cornerstone. They owe it to the experiment to at least give them one full season of playing together.

A full 2025-26 season is critical to evaluate their fit. Fox’s career 6.7 APG and 47.3% FG inside the arc complement Wembanyama’s gravity as a lob threat and shooter. However, Fox’s below-average 3PT shooting and Wembanyama’s need for more off-ball movement require roster tweaks for optimal output.

Not to overlook, Fox’s tendon injury on his left pinky- that effectively limited him to just 17 games. Moreover, the Spurs aren’t as devoid of shooters anymore.

Last season, the San Antonio Spurs struggled with spacing, ranking 27th in three-point percentage (34.8%) and 29th in effective field goal percentage (51.18%). Among regular rotation players (40+ games), Devin Vassell (35.2% 3PT, 2.4 3PM on 6.8 3PA) and Wembanyama (35.4% 3PT, 1.8 3PM on 5.0 3PA) were the most reliable shooters, with Keldon Johnson (35.0% 3PT, 1.7 3PM on 4.8 3PA) also contributing consistently.

Zach Collins, traded midseason, shot 32.8% from three (1.0 3PM on 3.1 3PA) across his full season, limiting his impact as a “consistent” shooter for San Antonio.

They made some quiet moves during the summer. They re-signed Jordan McLaughlin, one of their best shooters from last season. The Spurs also signed Lindy Waters III. The former Warriors guard shot nearly 40% from beyond the arc and is a fierce competitor. Having Kelly Olynyk and Luke Kornet also gives Fox various options for two-man action.

They are a relatively new team that can improve their synergy significantly. While Markkanen does appear to be a great option, the Spurs still need to squeeze the most out of their current group. How do you think they will do this season?