Magic Johnson did not need many words to explain why De’Aaron Fox’s late-game decision hurt the San Antonio Spurs so badly in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
San Antonio had built a 29-point lead and were moments away from surviving one of the wildest collapses in Finals history. Then Fox made the choice that will follow him all summer.
Magic Johnson calls out De’Aaron Fox’s mistake
Johnson’s words hit harder because of who he is, a five-time NBA champion and the defining playmaker of the Showtime Lakers, someone who knows late-game management better than almost anyone.
“He should’ve pulled the ball back out…. I think that play really hurt the Spurs. Wemby’s two FTs, which he missed, hurt the Spurs. De’Aaron is a PG. You gotta know every situation. My job as a PG was to know every situation. I think he should’ve pulled that ball back out.”
With San Antonio holding a 106-105 lead and less than 15 seconds left, Fox chased down a loose ball and drove to the rim instead of pulling out, burning clock, calling a timeout, or forcing New York to foul.
OG Anunoby blocked the layup, then tipped in Jalen Brunson’s missed three with 1.2 seconds left to seal a 107-106 Knicks win.
De’Aaron Fox’s clutch errors completed the Spurs’ collapse
Fox was not the only reason the Spurs lost. Victor Wembanyama missed two huge free throws with 1:47 left, and San Antonio managed just 30 second-half points after dropping 76 in the first half.
But Fox’s decision was the final mistake. He failed to recognize the situation and went for the highlight play instead of the smart one.
He finished with 18 points on 6-of-16 shooting, seven assists and four turnovers, not the performance San Antonio needed from its veteran point guard.
De’Aaron Fox’s future with the Spurs looks uncertain
The bigger question is what happens next. Fox has averaged just 14.3 points through four Finals games and has struggled with his shooting in three of them.
His contract only adds to the pressure. He is set to begin a four-year, $229 million extension next season, a deal that runs through 2029-30 and starts at over $51 million per year.
Meanwhile, Dylan Harper’s emergence gives the Spurs another young guard to build around alongside Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. That does not mean Fox is on the way out, but it does make his contract harder to justify.
Magic’s point was simple: elite point guards need to control every situation. In Game 4, Fox did not, and the Knicks made him pay.
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