Hao Meng

Spurs’ Fox Unlikely To Be Available At Start Of Season

Spurs point guard De’Aaron Fox told reporters on Monday at media day that he isn’t expecting to suit up during the preseason or on opening night. After spending the offseason recovering from finger surgery that ended his 2024/25 season, Fox is currently dealing with a hamstring injury, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter video link).

Fox made it clear that he feels “great” and thinks he could be playing now, but suggested the Spurs are taking a cautious approach to his return.

“I don’t think I’ll be ready for opening night,” Fox said. “Well, I think I’m ready. But I don’t have that (medical) expertise.”

As Weiss points out, that makes two Spurs point guards who are at risk of missing the team’s season opener. No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper underwent surgery on his thumb earlier this month to repair a partially torn ligament — his status for the start of the regular season remains up in the air.

Here’s more on the Spurs:

  • In more positive health news, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson confirmed that big man Victor Wembanyama has been medically cleared to return by both the team and the NBA after his 2024/25 season ended early due to a deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder (Twitter video link via Weiss). “He’s been ramping up. He’s been in a really good place,” Johnson said.
  • After making a modest 42.8% of his field goal attempts, including 28.5% of his three-pointers, in his first NBA season, improving his shooting efficiency is a goal for reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle in year two, he tells D.J. Siddiqi of ESportsInsider.com. “With live reps, I feel like that’s the best way you can learn is to keep seeing different defenses,” Castle said. “Different variations, options, and on a different possession. Just repping it out, really with a lot of defenders, just getting a lot of shooting reps.”
  • The Spurs put out a press release on Sunday announcing several promotions and additions within their basketball operations department. Notably, the team has named three new assistant general managers. Senior director of strategic and basketball insight Hao Meng, senior director of basketball strategy Niraj Mulji, and vice president of basketball operations Dave Telep have all been promoted to assistant GM roles.

Danny Ferry Rejoins Spurs As Consultant

After two previous stints in the Spurs‘ front office, veteran executive Danny Ferry has returned to the franchise as a basketball operations consultant, according to a press release from the club.

Ferry finished his playing career in San Antonio from 2000-03, then spent two years in the Spurs’ front office from 2003-05 before later rejoining the team in a VP of basketball operations role from 2010-12. He also previously served as the Cavaliers’ general manager, the Hawks’ president of basketball operations, and – most recently – the Pelicans’ interim general manager.

Ferry was one of a handful of basketball operations additions and promotions announced today by the Spurs, who also hired Samson Kayode as their director of player evaluation and assistant GM of the Austin Spurs. Kayode had spent the last four years working as assistant director for the USA Basketball men’s national team.

San Antonio also announced the addition of Hao Meng as director of strategic analysis and basketball insight.