​The San Antonio Spurs are retaining some experienced insurance behind De’Aaron Fox.Free-agent guard Jordan McLaughlin agreed to return to San Antonio on a one-year, $3.3 million contract, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on July 13. McLaughlin appeared in 44 games for the Spurs last season and will enter his ninth NBA campaign.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe move will not reshape San Antonio’s rotation, but it gives head coach Mitch Johnson another dependable ball-handler behind a star point guard who encountered several health setbacks during the Spurs’ run to the 2026 NBA Finals.McLaughlin averaged 2.0 points, 0.9 assists and 0.7 rebounds in 6.4 minutes per game during the 2025-26 regular season. His limited production reflects his role more than his ability to provide emergency minutes: He did not start any of his 44 appearances and frequently sat behind San Antonio’s deeper collection of guards.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe nevertheless gave the Spurs one useful offensive trait. McLaughlin converted 42.5% of his 3-point attempts, the second-best percentage of his career, albeit on fewer than one attempt per game.That combination — low usage, reliable decision-making and enough shooting to avoid damaging the spacing — is valuable for a team that does not need another guard demanding a large offensive role.Fox remains San Antonio’s lead point guard, while Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper can also initiate the offense. The Spurs’ official roster lists Fox and Harper among their guards, and the team’s depth chart places both Harper and Castle in prominent backcourt roles.McLaughlin’s job will be to stay ready when one of them is unavailable, absorb low-leverage regular-season minutes and provide a steady option without disrupting the development of San Antonio’s younger players.The Spurs saw last season how quickly their backcourt plans could change.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFox began the campaign late after sustaining a right hamstring injury during the offseason. That followed surgery to repair a torn tendon in his left pinkie, which ended his first partial season with San Antonio in March 2025.He later dealt with right ankle soreness during the Western Conference finals, missing the first two games of the series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Fox returned for Game 3, but Johnson acknowledged that the injury could continue bothering him during the postseason.McLaughlin is not a like-for-like replacement for Fox, who averaged 18.6 points and 6.2 assists during the regular season. Nor would the Spurs necessarily turn to McLaughlin first if Fox missed an extended stretch; Harper and Castle are more central to the franchise’s present and future.But an NBA team intending to make another deep playoff run needs more than three playable guards. Injuries, foul trouble, rest nights and schedule congestion can expose a thin backcourt quickly.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBringing back