Is Stephon Castle playing tonight? A look at Spurs' No. 4 draft pick's availability in Summer League matchup vs 76ers
San Antonio Spurs rookie guard Stephon Castle is unlikely to suit up on Friday against the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Summer League. This year's No. 4 overall pick in the draft has appeared in just one game for the team so far this summer.
Perhaps his July 13 outing against the Portland Trail Blazers was all the team needed to see ahead of Castle's rookie season. The UConn product recorded a solid line of 22 points, five rebounds, and four assists in an 83-77 win over Portland.
The guard shot 8-21 from the field and 2-6 from 3-point range, while also committing five turnovers.
It's unclear who will get the start at point guard for the Spurs next season between Stephon Castle and the 39-year-old veteran Chris Paul, who San Antonio signed to a 1-year, $10 million deal this offseason. Both guards will look to heavily involve 7-foot-4 center Victor Wembanyama, who averaged 21.6 points and 10 rebounds per game in his rookie season.
The Spurs still won the two matches without their rookie guard, including a 79-76 win over the Atlanta Hawks and number 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher. They went on to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 90-85 behind 16 points off the bench from Morehead State product Riley Minix, who shot 4-6 from beyond the arc.
They also got a lift off the bench from Donovan Williams, a 22-year-old who played last season in Canada's top professional league. He produced 15 points and five assists.
The team will look to improve to 4-0 and book a spot in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League playoffs, where only the top four teams will advance.
Will Stephon Castle start over Chris Paul next season?
Stephon Castle spent just one season in college and may be viewed more as a long-term project for the team, and will likely play behind Chris Paul in the 2024-25 season.
He has a lot to learn from Paul, who can help him improve his playmaking and shot selection. In his lone season with the Huskies, Castle averaged 11.1 points and 2.9 assists per game for the back-to-back NCAA champions. The 19-year-old shot 47 percent from the field, but just 26 percent from 3-point range.
With Paul on a one-year deal, and expressing his desire to join the Spurs because he just wants to see the floor, Stephon Castle's rookie season looks like one that will include a lot of mentorship and learning.