Stephon Castle’s offseason work could end up being one of the biggest developments for the San Antonio Spurs.
If everything breaks right for San Antonio in the 2026-27 season, Castle has a chance to grow into a star. That would give the Spurs three All-Stars for the first time in franchise history and, just as importantly, hand them a real big three.
The long-term trio is Victor Wembanyama, Castle, and Dylan Harper. For now, though, the Spurs are operating with Wembanyama, Castle, and De’Aaron Fox as the main pieces. Fox may not be a universal favorite, but he has clearly helped Castle take real steps forward as a playmaker, and that has pushed Castle closer to the level San Antonio needs from him.
One of the biggest reasons for optimism is the shot. Castle has kept improving as a shooter since the Spurs drafted him, and his jumper held up better than expected in the playoffs. He knocked down 35% of his 4.3 3-point attempts per game in the postseason, a meaningful number because teams like the Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves were trying to duck under screens when Castle was handling the ball in pick-and-roll.
That kind of respect changes everything. If defenders can no longer go under when Castle has the ball, or cheat off him when he’s spotting up, San Antonio’s spacing opens up fast.
Driving lanes get cleaner. The offense breathes easier.
And if that shooting carries over across a full season and into the playoffs, it could reshape the Spurs attack in a major way.
Last season, San Antonio had to get creative because the spacing was a problem. The Spurs addressed it from inside the roster, first by benching and eventually cutting Jeremy Sochan in favor of Julian Champagnie. They also leaned harder on Wembanyama rolling to the rim, which forced defenders to help and left Spurs shooters open in the corners for quality 3-point looks.
Another adjustment was putting Castle at point guard. That meant the ball was in the hands of their worst shooter, but it also forced defenses to respect him. And Castle didn’t just survive in that role - he emerged as San Antonio’s best passer and showed real point guard ability.
Still, if the shooting keeps coming, Castle could spend more time off the ball, where his growth would open up even more possibilities. That would help Fox too, who spent most of last season essentially playing shooting guard.
The last piece for Castle is the jumper. The rest of the package is already obvious.
He’s an elite slasher who can get downhill and reach the rim at will. If he becomes a credible 3-point threat, he can punish closeouts, use off-ball screens to build momentum, and put all of his tools together in a way that makes him look much more like a star.
And that doesn’t take the ball out of his hands entirely. It just gives the Spurs more ways to use him, Fox, and the offense as a whole.
In Other News...
Victor Wembanyama Just Landed A New Spurs Role
Victor Wembanyama is heading into the upcoming season with a different kind of responsibility in San Antonio. Along with the pressure that comes with his own rise, he is expected to help guide the Spurs new frontcourt additions and set the tone for a young group that will be leaning on him for more than just production on the floor.
For Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr., that means a chance to learn behind a player who has already established himself as the centerpiece of the teams future. Wembanyamas influence could shape not only how the rookies develop, but also how quickly they adjust to the demands and mentality the Spurs want in their rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Steph Curry To Spurs Buzz Suddenly Feels Worth Watching
The offseason chatter around Golden State has kept Steph Curry in the rumor mill, and the noise has only gotten louder after the Warriors failed to make meaningful roster upgrades. ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins even floated the idea that Curry should think about moving on, which is the kind of comment that naturally sends speculation spinning in every direction. For San Antonio, it is at least easy to see why the idea has traction, given the Spurs mix of young talent and the kind of long-term flexibility that always invites bigger-swing conversations.
The buzz gets especially interesting because one speculative framework has Curry landing in San Antonio in a deal built around Dylan Harper, DeAaron Fox and future draft capital. It is still firmly in the realm of analysis, not anything close to a real transaction, but it is the sort of proposal that forces you to think about where the Spurs want to press their timeline and what they would be willing to move to do it. Even as the scenario remains hypothetical, it feels like the rare kind of star rumor that fits San Antonios broader rise well enough to keep watching. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Harper Just Changed The Spurs Debate Around DeAaron Fox
Dylan Harper has spent his first year around a Spurs team trying to sort out both its present and its backcourt future, and he does not sound interested in turning De'Aaron Fox into a roster problem. Harper pointed to Fox as a meaningful part of San Antonios success now and down the road, a notable endorsement in a season where the guard rotation and Foxs contract have both been part of the conversation.
Harper also made clear that the fit questions others might raise are not his concern. He said playing alongside multiple ball-handlers has never bothered him, which only adds another layer to a Spurs guard situation that already has plenty of moving pieces. Foxs role in Harpers development is part of that story, and it leaves San Antonio with a familiar kind of good problem as it weighs how to keep this group together. [Read more 🡒]