Castle contributed three points (1-5 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 0-2 FT) and three rebounds in 15 minutes during Saturday's 113-103 win over the Timberwolves.
Castle was used sparingly once again Saturday, continuing his underwhelming season. Although he was highly touted coming out of the draft, it appears he will have to bide his time, playing limited minutes off the bench. He is certainly a candidate to be thrust into a larger role if and when San Antonio is eliminated from playoff contention. Until then, it's hard to see him playing more than about 15 minutes per night.
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Spurs' Stephon Castle: Fails to score in 20 minutes
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Castle posted zero points (0-5 FG, 0-3 3Pt), two rebounds, one assist and one block over 20 minutes during Wednesday's 105-93 loss to Oklahoma City.
Castle was a no-show in the loss, missing all five of his shot attempts. It's been an underwhelming start to his NBA career, averaging just 5.0 points and 3.5 assists in 20.7 minutes per game. While he could be someone the Spurs lean into a little more as the season progresses, there is no point holding him now given his current role.
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Spurs' Stephon Castle: Coming off bench Thursday
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Castle will come off the bench in Thursday's regular-season opener versus the Mavericks, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News reports.
Castle did not enter the starting five during the preseason, so it does not come as a shock that the rookie will be part of the bench unit. The 19-year-old will back up Chris Paul and Julian Champagnie in the backcourt, though Castle will likely receive significant minutes in his first NBA game coming off the bench.
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Spurs' Stephon Castle: Scores team-high 16 points
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Castle finished with 16 points (6-14 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 3-4 FT), four rebounds, three assists and two steals across 24 minutes off the bench in Thursday's 129-107 preseason loss to the Rockets.
Castle led the Spurs in points and was a disruptive presence on both ends of the court. The fact that he also led the team in minutes played is an encouraging sign of his role in the rotation. He's not likely to open the regular season as a starter, but he should see decent minutes off the bench at both guard spots.
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Spurs' Stephon Castle: Makes presence felt Wednesday
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Castle delivered 17 points (4-9 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 7-10 FT), two rebounds, four assists and two steals across 22 minutes off the bench in Wednesday's 107-97 preseason win over the Magic.
Castle led the Spurs in scoring and showed some interesting traits, mainly his passing ability and an underrated skill to get to the charity stripe. The Spurs have big hopes for the rookie, and he's in contention to open the season in a starting role alongside Chris Paul in the backcourt while Devin Vassell (foot) is inactive.
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Spurs' Stephon Castle: Back at practice
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Castle (wrist) was a participant in Tuesday's practice, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News reports.
Castle sprained his wrist during Summer League but has fully recovered from the injury and is practicing with the team. The rookie figures to play a significant role early on considering starting SG Devin Vassell (foot) is expected to be sidelined into November. Castle will compete with Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley for a starting role while Vassell is inactive.
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Spurs' Stephon Castle: Looks sharp in win
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Castle recorded 22 points (8-21 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 4-6 FT), five rebounds, four assists and one steal over 29 minutes in Saturday's 83-77 Summer League win over the Trail Blazers.
Coming off a national championship with UConn, the 6-foot-6 guard finds himself with an exciting opportunity in San Antonio. Castle is likely to begin his career as a key reserve for the Spurs while learning from the likes of Chris Paul and Devin Vassell, though a starting spot may not be out of the question depending on how he fares during training camp.