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Rich Paul Says Darius Garland Was Nearly Traded to Spurs Before De'Aaron Fox Deal

The agent’s account shows player preference and timing steered San Antonio to Fox and reshaped the Spurs’ Finals roster.

Overview

  • On Wednesday, agent Rich Paul said he had pitched Darius Garland to the San Antonio Spurs as the primary guard target before De’Aaron Fox agreed to be traded.
  • Paul represents both Garland and Fox and confirmed he had the Spurs “teed up” as a landing spot for Garland when the guard was frustrated in Cleveland.
  • Rich Paul said Fox initially resisted a move but changed his stance after the Kings fired coach Mike Brown, then accepted a secondary role next to Victor Wembanyama.
  • Garland stayed with the Cavaliers through that season and was later traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in the deal that sent James Harden to Cleveland.
  • The revelation reframes how a single shift in player willingness altered roster construction, raises new ‘what if’ questions about fit beside Wembanyama, and signals agents’ timing can materially change team trajectories.