Despite De’Aaron Fox returning to the San Antonio Spurs’ lineup after missing a chunk of the season to start the year, Stephon Castle has remained as the team’s primary playmaking option, and that’s phenomenal news for his growth as a point guard.
“Can we take a look at Stephon Castle?’ Brian Windhorst said on ESPN’s The Hoop Collective. “At what’s going on there? These are Stpehon Castle’s last three games. Nineteen points, 11 assists, three steals. Sixteen points, 13 assists. Fourteen points, 13 assists, two steals. In the last three games, he’s got 37 assists, and I’d like to point out: De’Aaron Fox has come back. The keys to the Spurs’ offense have remained in Stephon Castle’s hands.”
Castle has been incredible.
How has Stephon Castle been for Spurs?
Obviously, the biggest story in San Antonio this season has been Victor Wembanyama. The big man is a genuine MVP candidate who is emerging as one of the top five players on the planet.
But quietly, right alongside him, last year’s Rookie of the Year winner is taking a leap of his own. And if they can both keep getting closer to their peaks, the Spurs will be in a phenomenal place.
As Windhorst mentioned, Castle’s last three games have been a master class in playmaking. He’s been the team’s best passer, setting up everybody beautifully, even with Fox back in the lineup.
Once Dylan Harper returns, perhaps Castle’s touches will decline a bit, but the point stands: He’s a legitimately great playmaker. Heading into the 2024 NBA Draft, he made it clear that he wanted to play point guard in the NBA, and so far, it’s clear that he’s capable of doing so.
So far this season, Castle is averaging 18.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 1.8 steals while shooting 49.7% from the floor and 23.4% from behind the arc on 4.3 three-point attempts per game.
If Castle wants to reach his ceiling, his three-point shooting will likely have to improve. That’s undoubtedly the next step in his progression as a player. But for right now, the playmaking has made up for it.
He’s gone on an incredible stretch of playmaking, taking over as the lead guard in San Antonio, in spite of Fox’s return. Castle has blown past the expectations set for him heading into the season.
There is still plenty of work for him to do to improve as a player, but this is a beautiful step in the right direction. Castle has been awesome this season.
