Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs (disappointing)
Stats: 6 PPG, 3 RPG, 2 APG, 31% FG, 13% 3PT
Selecting Stephon Castle with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs were hoping they were getting a player who could emerge as the team's long-term answer at the point guard position. The hope, which very much remains, is that Castle could develop into a strong backcourt option next to Victor Wembanyama. But while there is still hope that Castle can evolve into that type of player, he is off to a slightly disappointing start to his rookie season with the team.
Averaging nearly 20 minutes per game, Castle is averaging six points on an extremely inefficient 31 percent shooting from the field overall and a putrid 13 percent shooting from 3-point range. Even though he's not a player who entered the draft with and reputation for being explosive on the offensive end, he's been a shell of the UCONN version of himself (especially in terms of efficiency) so far this season. And if Castle wants to live up to his expectations with the Spurs, that is going to have to change.
Despite the critiques, I think it's important that we're fair to Castle. So let's do that. On the defensive end of the floor, he's been great. The argument could be made that he's been one of the best rookies on that end of the floor so far this season. But the NBA is a two-way game and for a player selected as high as Castle was, you're expected to be a weapon on both ends. At least for now, while Castle may be a weapon offensively, he's very much a liability on the offensive end of the floor. And until that changes, it's going to be hard to view him differently than a one-dimensional player.
But the Spurs do have time. And it does appear that the plan for Castle this season is going to be bringing him along slowly. So while he's labeled as a rookie who has disappointed so far this season, there's a chance that he can completely switch up the narrative by the end of the year. But, again, much of that will depend on how his offensive game evolves over the next few months. As a player who is talented on both ends of the floor, I have a feeling he will have a strong chance to do just that.