3 days Ago By Jonah Kubicek, NBA Analysis Network
The San Antonio Spurs already have their Big Three of the future on the roster, now they just need to be healthy. Of all 30 teams in the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs have perhaps the most promising future. They aren’t up against the second apron like the Boston Celtics, they aren’t on a strict timeline like the Golden State Warriors, and they have a generational superstar, unlike the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox , the Spurs have possibly the best duo in the league, at least with both players being under 30. However, neither has played since February, and neither will play until next season. However, the Spurs are expected to add a lot of talent this offseason, either through the NBA draft or through trades.
That said, their third option of both the present and future might already be on the roster. After winning his second Rookie of the Month Award, it’s clear that Stephon Castle has arrived and is in the league to stay. Stephon Castle has emerged as a scorer Since the All-Star Break, Castle is averaging 17.
4 points and is shooting a solid 50.6% from inside the arc. Granted, his outside shot has remained below 30% all season, but he can get to the rim, pop in midrange, and slow himself down as he runs downhill to create space.
On top of that, he is an oversized guard who doesn’t mind absorbing contact. He leads all rookies in free-throw attempts and ranks in the top 20 in total attempts in the entire league. He lost the Dunk Contest to Mac McClung , but he has the hops to put anyone on a poster, and is one of the best in-game dunkers in the NBA.
In March, he led the Spurs in scoring. Once Wembanyama and Fox return, that won’t be the case, but he’s scored more than even Devin Vassell, who has found his stroke, shooting 42% from deep last month. Defense is what will make Castle elite While his offensive game is solid, defense remains his best attribute by far.
Alongside Fox, who led the league in steals last season, Wembanyama, who has never not led the league in blocks, and enforcer Jeremy Sochan , the Spurs already had a solid defensive trio, but Castle rivals even Fox as the second-best defender on the roster. With his best teammates out and Sochan playing a sixth man role, Castle has been tasked with taking on some of the best offensive players in the NBA, and he hasn’t budged. That’s not to say that the Spurs’ defense doesn’t need Sochan, as he is one of the very best superstar stoppers in the NBA.
Jeremy Sochan Career Defensive Field Goal Percentage (DFG%) Vs. All-Stars/All-Star Caliber Players : 1. Paolo Banchero — 25.
0% 1. Scottie Barnes — 25.0% 3.
Julius Randle — 28.6% 4. Tyrese Haliburton — 31.
3% 5. LaMelo Ball — 33.3% 6.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander —...
https://t.co/xRhS5mFK2J pic.twitter.
com/buh0m2spCF On top of that, Vassell is no slouch. With Fox being the oldest, at 27 years old, the Spurs should have a defensive-first lineup of Fox, Castle, Vassell, Sochan, and Wembanyama for the next several years. When adding in Castle’s off-season emergence, the Spurs are not a team with any major weakness aside from health and experience, and Castle is proving that he belongs long-term.
This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission..
