Stephon Castle - 2024 NBA Draft Prospect

[Chinook]

What makes you think he can defend doncic? He doesn't have the necessary wingspan to contest him. And the assumption is that he obviously isn't the bpa at #4, he averaged 11 points and less than 3 assists.. While i love the pick in principle, I don't love it at #4 when nobody needs a point guard and there are at least 3 still available at #8.

Is there a formula on how to defend Doncic? If so, it must be secret from every NBA team so far. As far as I can tell, the only plan with Doncic is to not foul and to stay with him. That's staying in front of his when he has the ball and staying connected to him when he doesn't. Shutting a guy down is extremely rare and has been for more than a decade. Bowen basically never did it. The Medium Three Spurs only did it rarely. What the Spurs can do is kill possessions by denying Doncic the ball and letting Irving go at Sochan and the rest of the team. Castle's ability to both navigate screens and absorb contact is rare. Of course, you'd want to buy into his offensive game working if you take him at 4. But I wouldn't say he has worse potential there than Smart did, and he was also taken in the top five.

[LeBowen]

This just got me thinking about whether Dallas winning the chip might have teams shifting priorities and strategies. Like, Minny sort of built themselves to beat Denver, are teams going to try to build to counter Dallas? Maybe? But I think the Spurs know what they need and won't alter course. It may be hubristic to say, but if they build right, teams will have to counter them. If they can get a good team around Wembanyama (defense, offense, etc.) they'll be calling the shots.

That said, this might require/include defending Doncic.

I guess we'll see how things go in the finals matchup.
On paper, Celtics are a perfect counter to Kyrie and Luka. Two elite defenders for each of them.

In three years Wemby will surely be the best player in the league and then it will be on everyone else to adapt.

[DAF86]

Nope

I like Anthony Black,and am one of his few supporters here, but the link above shows a similar physical profile, and the green dots are split about evenly.

Irrelevant.

If I were to show those samd metrics but with Dillingham or Sheppard compared to Castle, the Kentucky guyd would blow Castle away, yet most here prefer Stephon.

[DAF86]

i think with castle you are hoping for something in between tony allen and andre iguodala, but less springy of an athlete than either

Would much rather have a Nicolas Batum, tbh.

[exstatic]

His camp has to push the point guard narrative since he can't shoot.
Thompson twins were way better prospects and have been really underwhelming just because they don't have a shot, despite doing everything else well.

Risacher is out of reach, other wing prospects aren't that convincing.
I'd be fine with Castle and Dillingham, would give us complementary players with clear roles.

Tre/Dillingham and Jeremy/Castle as players who can't share the floor.
Devin as the best perimeter player can fit in any lineup, then a couple more 3-D guys with Champagnie being the last man in SG-SF-PF rotation.
Or just one more 3-D guy if Keldon isn't traded.

But we must get rid of Collins.

. Thompson’s were better ATHLETES, not better prospects. They played in a trash nothing league, while Castle took a master’s level course at UConn.

[exstatic]

Irrelevant.

If I were to show those samd metrics but with Dillingham or Sheppard compared to Castle, the Kentucky guyd would blow Castle away, yet most here prefer Stephon.

Yeah, but then the anthro is no contest, with Castle overwhelming him. You compared him to Black because they are a similar physical type, but when your statement about Black being a clear better prospect got steamrolled, you tried the old goalpost move.

[LeBowen]

. Thompson’s were better ATHLETES, not better prospects. They played in a trash nothing league, while Castle took a master’s level course at UConn.

They were way more hyped than Castle and would be in serious consideration for #1 pick this year.
Some people even tried to push the agenda that Amen should go #2, behind Wemby.

[exstatic]

They were way more hyped than Castle and would be in serious consideration for #1 pick this year.
Some people even tried to push the agenda that Amen should go #2, behind Wemby.

I don’t care about hype at all. That’s driven by shoe companies and agents.

[HankChinaski]

I like Castle's upside. His current floor would still provide an improvement. His shooting is a concern. If they pick Castle, have to be curious what if any moves they make with the current roster to create spacing on the floor.

[Spurs Homer]

I know this has been posted before, but it's worth putting it here, too.

That possession at :47 is so ing good. I assume he had direction to double at the start, but then how he handles everything else is next level. How he sees the open man instantly, sort of gravitates to him in his measured way, and then totally swallows him up, like double teaming him all by himself. Insta-boner for the coaching staff.

Wemby-Sochan-Castle could be the basis of one of the best defenses in the league. Which is crazy given that defense is nearly banned. Obviously there are struggles on the other end, but you can figure things out as you go. Sochan and Castle are both excellent cutters, and so on. But you have a strong 1-3 defender, a strong 2-4 defender, and WembGod.

just in awesome…

wemby will be wide in open near the basket just begging for a lob

sochan will refuse to make the lob and pass to a double-teamed castle

castle will brick the shot

just in great!

[Payote75]

I know I might be in the minority but I'm sick of "upside" by the time castle learns to shoot we will have waster at least two seasons we need a 3 point shooter and a facilitator if we can acquire one that does both then I'm ok with upside but Wemby needs a legitimate point guard that can score sochan and castle in lineup and we may not score over 60 and 30 of those will be Wemby we will shorten his career. I'd rather take a chance on edey then who at least can take physical burden of Wemby at the very least while we wait for "upside" with any luck edey has some offensive skills that translate but more wings and guards that can't score is a recipe to shorten Wembys career or leave like Duncan almost did and kawitter actually did. I don't want to burn our options and treasure chest but we do have enough to accomplish both in my opinion.

[AFBlue]

I know I might be in the minority but I'm sick of "upside" by the time castle learns to shoot we will have waster at least two seasons we need a 3 point shooter and a facilitator if we can acquire one that does both then I'm ok with upside but Wemby needs a legitimate point guard that can score sochan and castle in lineup and we may not score over 60 and 30 of those will be Wemby we will shorten his career. I'd rather take a chance on edey then who at least can take physical burden of Wemby at the very least while we wait for "upside" with any luck edey has some offensive skills that translate but more wings and guards that can't score is a recipe to shorten Wembys career or leave like Duncan almost did and kawitter actually did. I don't want to burn our options and treasure chest but we do have enough to accomplish both in my opinion.

You ain't finding a ready-made point guard through the draft. Even Dillingham, who has lead guard credentials, is a question mark defensively and isn't close to developing an NBA body Both of which will limit his ability to stay on the floor.

You draft for upside in any case.

[TrainOfThought5]

I know I might be in the minority but I'm sick of "upside" by the time castle learns to shoot we will have waster at least two seasons we need a 3 point shooter and a facilitator if we can acquire one that does both then I'm ok with upside but Wemby needs a legitimate point guard that can score sochan and castle in lineup and we may not score over 60 and 30 of those will be Wemby we will shorten his career. I'd rather take a chance on edey then who at least can take physical burden of Wemby at the very least while we wait for "upside" with any luck edey has some offensive skills that translate but more wings and guards that can't score is a recipe to shorten Wembys career or leave like Duncan almost did and kawitter actually did. I don't want to burn our options and treasure chest but we do have enough to accomplish both in my opinion.

so who do you want to draft? Dillingham? Sheppard? Trade up for Risacher?

[Pauleta14]

so who do you want to draft? Dillingham? Sheppard? Trade up for Risacher?

Use both picks in a trade for an elite player, whoever is availaible / whatever team willing to trade. PG, SG, Wing whatever BPA in a trade.

25' and 26' are the years to puck players to dev

[TD 21]

Exactly.

I would be fine with Castle if he would have shown any kind of sign of being able to develop his shot, but he didn't. He might be like Sochan and shoot a respectable % on low volume someday, but that won't be enough.

It is very unlikely that he ever develops his 3pt shot to that extent. Even if he did, Castle doesn't the handles, nor the pull-up game to become an all-star type player. He basically would need to improve his entire offensive repertoire.

I've tried; they don't get it. This is Sochan redux, just a guard version.

If everything checks out with his back, they could just pursue Melton in free agency to fill this role.

It makes a ton of sense to draft a guy who can defend Morant, Edwards, Doncic and all of the stars in between. Some team is going to draft Clingan in the top 10 specifically in hopes he can slow Wemby down. Castle stands to be more useful if the correct combination of skill improvements and role definition can occur.

He doesn't have the strength to defend Doncic. Of course you need someone with the physical tools to at least hold their own, but with a "target" ball extraordinaire prac ioner, it's more important that you don't have a small guard or immobile big (unless either is a superstar/star offensively) for him to generate a switch on.

Clingan is the an hesis of a Wembanyama defender. Big, mobile wings/forwards are (at least until he proves he can exploit them on the block), with the rim protector lurking as the weakside defender, are the current modus operandi.

[Payote75]

No agreed 1000 percent that's why I use those assets to get a garland love him or hate him he can score pass and shoot then you can figure out what you want to give up etc. If the price is what clan and others are reporting than it's not that bad at all.

[Mr. Body]

No agreed 1000 percent that's why I use those assets to get a garland love him or hate him he can score pass and shoot then you can figure out what you want to give up etc. If the price is what clan and others are reporting than it's not that bad at all.

Nah man, just draft Dillingham. Chances are good Dillingham is straight up better. If not, you didn't break the bank.

[Payote75]

Depends on package. The dopey media clan etc. Saying Chicago pick Charlotte fake pick Johnson branham. Maybe 8th pick.
I'd try not to give 8th pick that said people hate on Keldon and I get it but Keldon still averaging points not 10 he still young as is malaki and home grown id figure out from that pot how to make a garland trade work.

[The Truth #6]

I like Castle's at ude. That's the most Butler part possibly. He seems intense and determined. Hopefully he just wants to play with VW and it's cool if that's the case. Now, if SF is his actual calling, how well he adjusts could be the problem. And, he might chafe at some of our soft players but hey, I'm open to a change in iden y. If he can do that, that's still a win. Dillingham I like generally, but his demeanor might not be intense enough. Hard to say.

[exstatic]

I know I might be in the minority but I'm sick of "upside" by the time castle learns to shoot we will have waster at least two seasons we need a 3 point shooter and a facilitator if we can acquire one that does both then I'm ok with upside but Wemby needs a legitimate point guard that can score sochan and castle in lineup and we may not score over 60 and 30 of those will be Wemby we will shorten his career. I'd rather take a chance on edey then who at least can take physical burden of Wemby at the very least while we wait for "upside" with any luck edey has some offensive skills that translate but more wings and guards that can't score is a recipe to shorten Wembys career or leave like Duncan almost did and kawitter actually did. I don't want to burn our options and treasure chest but we do have enough to accomplish both in my opinion.

Have you even followed the draft for the last 20 years? Barring a LeBron AD Zion Wemby type, EVERYONE is drafted on upside. EVERYONE. That’s why the first round is almost purely 18 and 19 year olds. That’s also the only place a small market team can grab a superstar.

[Mr. Body]

I know I might be in the minority but I'm sick of "upside" by the time castle learns to shoot we will have waster at least two seasons we need a 3 point shooter and a facilitator if we can acquire one that does both then I'm ok with upside but Wemby needs a legitimate point guard that can score sochan and castle in lineup and we may not score over 60 and 30 of those will be Wemby we will shorten his career. I'd rather take a chance on edey then who at least can take physical burden of Wemby at the very least while we wait for "upside" with any luck edey has some offensive skills that translate but more wings and guards that can't score is a recipe to shorten Wembys career or leave like Duncan almost did and kawitter actually did. I don't want to burn our options and treasure chest but we do have enough to accomplish both in my opinion.

We really should draft Michael Jordan and I don't get why we won't.

[Payote75]

But why? What if it takes him 2-3 years to develop then get stiff experience and you still have to keep other parts of team together and could be adding with more picks. It's ok to use a little of the treasure chest next year's draft will be really good

[exstatic]

Use both picks in a trade for an elite player, whoever is availaible / whatever team willing to trade. PG, SG, Wing whatever BPA in a trade.

25' and 26' are the years to puck players to dev

Elite players rarely come onto the open market, trade or FA. When they’re traded, they pick the team. Even if one came on the market, 4&8 in this draft ain’t getting that done.

[Payote75]

We have Wemby we are lucky enough so luck only lasts so long. We can wait until we draft another Duncan and Wemby will be 30.

[Mr. Body]

But why? What if it takes him 2-3 years to develop then get stiff experience and you still have to keep other parts of team together and could be adding with more picks. It's ok to use a little of the treasure chest next year's draft will be really good

You're right, we should trade for Jokic.