The San Antonio Spurs are back in the thick of the Western Conference playoff picture, tracking toward their first 55-win season in years. But even with all the momentum, not everything is running smoothly in the Alamo City. As the season wears on, some lineup combinations are showing signs of strain-particularly when it comes to the team’s crowded point guard rotation.
San Antonio’s three-headed backcourt of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper has generated plenty of buzz, and for good reason. But despite the intrigue, the Spurs have mostly opted to play just two of the three at a time-and not all pairings have clicked. The Castle-Harper duo, in particular, has struggled to find its rhythm.
Part of the issue? The Spurs have been without two of their best floor spacers in Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell due to recent injuries.
That’s left the offense cramped and the Castle-Harper pairing exposed. Add in Harrison Barnes’ dip in production-especially from deep-and suddenly you’ve got a lineup with three non-shooters when Luke Kornet joins the mix.
That’s a recipe for clogged lanes and limited driving opportunities.
And that’s exactly what’s been happening. With defenses sagging off and packing the paint, both Castle and Harper have found it tough to get downhill and finish at the rim. Even when they kick the ball out, the lack of reliable perimeter shooting means opposing defenses aren’t paying a price for collapsing inside.
In the short term, the Spurs may need to hit pause on the Castle-Harper combo. That doesn’t mean giving up on it entirely-just shelving it until the roster is healthier and the spacing improves.
The good news? Help is on the way.
Wembanyama is back in the starting lineup, and Vassell is expected to return soon. Meanwhile, Barnes’ minutes could start shifting toward Julian Champagnie, who offers more shooting upside.
There have already been some encouraging flashes. Castle dropped 20 points and dished out 8 assists in a recent game against the Thunder, showing the kind of two-way impact that made him a top prospect. Harper followed with a 15-point outing against the Timberwolves, a step in the right direction after a rough stretch.
Still, the elephant in the room remains the outside shooting. Castle and Harper are both shooting under 26.2% from three on a combined 6.6 attempts per game.
That’s not exactly lighting it up, but the willingness to shoot is a positive sign. The Spurs are actually in the top half of the league in three-point attempts, and while the accuracy hasn’t followed, the volume shows a team that’s committed to spacing-even if the shots aren’t falling yet.
For Castle and Harper, shooting is the swing skill. It’s the one thing that could make or break their fit together, and by extension, the viability of this point guard trio moving forward. If they can become just respectable from deep, it opens up the floor for their slashing, playmaking, and defensive versatility.
Right now, the pairing isn’t working. But with better health, smarter lineup construction, and continued development, there’s still a path forward. The Spurs are building something intriguing, and while not every experiment is a success out of the gate, the long-term upside of Castle and Harper is still very much in play.
But for now? Keep them staggered.
Let them grow individually. And when the floor opens up again-when Wemby and Vassell are back to stretching defenses-revisit the pairing with fresh eyes.
Because if the shooting comes around, this duo could look a whole lot different by season’s end.