But yeah you can't send CP3 to the bench so not sure what they end up going with and makes me wonder if additional moves are incoming?
I want to do
CP3
Fox
Castle
Barnes
Wemby
But think both Paul and Fox need to play the 1 slot and not sure about sliding Fox up to SG simply due to positional size concerns.
You could pull that off against certain teams however. Fox at 6'3" and with decent length in wingspan could start at SG against say, HOU with a 6'4" Jalen Green or DAL with a 6'2" Kyrie Irving, for example.
But yeah you can't send CP3 to the bench so not sure what they end up going with and makes me wonder if additional moves are incoming?
To be clear: I'm open to benching CP3 and eventually gotta figure it'll happen just due to and and ability. But I feel like a big reason he came over to SA was to play and start and I did kinda feel like he bristled at the idea of coming off the bench for Curry on GSW.
Does he relent, does his ability depreciate to the point where it's inevitable or does Fox and Castle command the start with their talented performance?
Moving Vassell to the bench makes the most sense and I'm really liking the idea of a reduced role for Devin where he just comes in as surplus scoring in hopes he can settle into that expectation with a bit more positive results and then we can work back up from there be it a trade out or him earning more mins/spotlight with his increased production tethered to efficiency.
Truth, but I think that's due to role/expectations/cost.
Vassell was drafted as a potential dynamic O guy with high D potential, a 3&D at worst. His 3rd and 4th years led people to believe he could maybe be a #2 or at worst a #3 option. This season he's looking like an inefficient #4/5 option with bad D, making $27M a year, so he's disappointing in every reasonable expectation while making real money.
Champ was claimed off the scrap heap, surprised everyone, is an above average shooter making and locked into a near minimum deal who has proven to be consistent as both a starter and bench player.
Its easy to nit-pick a guy you reasonably thought would be a core franchise piece who is disappointing at the price of a lottery pick.
Its much harder to nit-pick a guy who is surprising who, making (NBA) couch cushion money, who cost you nothing, who simply provides average-to-above average play, especially when that guy is (sadly) the second best shooter on your team.
I like a lot of this. If Vassell is de facto relegated to a 3rd option / floor spacer now that we have Fox…I trust CP3 to make that open 3pt shot more than Vassell. I only worry about defense - Vassell is bad but CP3 is really bad.
Watching the second unit run around like chickens with their heads cut off all the time, would love to see CP3 out there yelling at Keldon and Bassey to quit in around.
I just run Fox and Paul together. Castle and Sochan have looked great at times this year, and that's largely due to CP setting the table. I want the rest of the 30 or so games with him in tutor mode, even if it futzes up the mainline starters. That's okay.
Try out Vassell, Sochan, or Castle alongside them. If you make the play-in, fantastic, but that's not my ulterior goal.
Come summer, I pitch Paul on a full-on backup role. He's slowing down and likely doesn't get a starting gig anywhere at this point, much less for a team that's on the elevator going up. I think he'd accept his last year or so with the Spurs coming off the bench, and barring bad luck this is a play-off team next season.
Haven't seen anyone mention this.
Fox and Castle have fairly similar styles, take it to the hoop and get to the line, but both are way below avg 3shooters this season.
With both those guys are on the court at the same time, the other 3 guys have to provide some spacing.
Spurs only have 3 rotation guys above league avg (35.9%), Barnes, Champ, and CP3 (41.6%, 36.5%, 36.2%, respectively- Wemby is at 35.8% so damn near average).
We can expect Wemby + Fox's shared gravity to open up more 3s, but we may need CP3 out there with Castle/Fox simply for spacing alone.
I'm hoping Castle's last 10 games (35% from 3) is a trend and not a blip and that he's growing into that shot. Some of his misses still look pretty bad, but so do Wemby's to be honest.
I also think Fox is going to surprise some folks and we're going to see that percentage come up next to Wemby.
I have seen the light and agree with Lebowen, Spurm and Kony
Fox/CP3
Castle/Vassell
Champ/Johnson
Barnes/Sochan
Wemby/Rebounding big or Bassey
* barring additional moves
- Love the call that CP3 slows the game down perfectly with the bench unit of classic spurs Vassell, Johnson, Sochan
- Champ needs to start so the magnitude of other starters gives Champ more wide open windows for threes where he can shine
- Castles triple still needs work but has improved in Jan and if he starts with Champ/Barnes/Wemby that should be sufficient spacing especially if Fox can uptick any at all
Wondering too if Fox will do the Sacramento freshen up that Barnes seemed to do when he arrived where playing for the Kings was so depressing that players were kinda not their best versions of themselves but once they get into the Spurs system and a less dysfunctional franchise they perk up a little bit
which would be crazy because Fox was pretty sensational already but I could totally see him holding back a little in SAC like why go full throttle on my body for this?
Blip is very possible, if not likely on the 3%. But its enough to give me real hope he can get to that 33+% and get there sooner rather than later.
I'm confident Castle's overall showing in those 10 games is a definite trend, because that dude gets to the line a lot, like 30% of the time. Steph is now 27th amongst all PG/SG/SF in FTr. Steph is elite at getting to the rim and drawing fouls (or finishing at the rim) and that should give him more cushion from 3. Future is bright, can't wait to get Fox here!
think they should both be benched tbh
Again, what is your problem with Castle? Lay it out. Tell us basketball wise why you don't like him.
There is so much wrong with your post I don't know where to start.
Julian is the best shooter on the team. He is rounding into a 3 and D role far quicker than LDN did. He would not be replacing Paul, Castle or Fox in the SL. Castle is outstanding with the ball in his hands, but Fox will be the primary ball handler. The two of them in the backcourt together will be amazing.
Tre was . Glad he's gone. CP3 is old AF and is being worn out. Let him run the bench team and keep his wind for the playoffs if he wants to stay around, but he didn't sign here to stay here. This was an audition.
Last edited by Obstructed_View; 02-04-2025 at 06:03 PM.
I already have multiple times. He's an atrocious defender at this stage and he hero modes with the ball in his hands.. Lots of talent for sure and i don't have a problem with his shooting, but there is a reason why we have been loosing so much, and it is castle.
I'll just leave this here:
As a starter-
21G 33.0MPG 16.1Pts 4.7R 3.2A 14.8FGA 6.7 3PA .415/.333/.733 with a .156 Free Throw rate- 24.5 yrs old, 5th season
29G 29.7MPG 15.1Pts 3.4R 4.2A 12.8FGA 4.9 3PA .419/.310/.748 with a .299 Free Throw rate- 20 yrs old, 1st season
Not having a proper backup big, Vassell's big time regression, low iq Keldon, and Castle going through rookie struggles are all reasons why we are racking up losses. Even Wemby had a rough January which cost us some games. Throwing this entirely on Castle is a bit excessive. , our best stretch this season (mid/late November) Castle was playing more minutes than he is now.
That being said, for a guy who was expected to make his mark on the defensive end first and foremost it has been a rough go. He bites on fakes and feints for too often, no discipline in that area. The best defensive players move their feet and stay between man and basket which is another thing he often fails to do (even with Wemby in the paint its bad outcomes to let your man get by). He has the physical tools to be a good, sturdy and versatile defender but we have only seen flashes of it at best.
Apparently hero mode equals getting to the line at the 27th* best clip in the NBA, but iso-dribbling for 18 seconds a possession isn't hero mode. One is a clearly superior defender, even if you think both are atrocious, one is clearly better and more versatile.
(*Amongst all PG/SG/SF, non-bigs)
Last edited by Arguendo; 02-04-2025 at 08:05 PM.
Paul would make a horrible coach.
IDK if you remember last year, but our team without Tre on the floor was absolute dog . If we let go of CP3 we’re right back to that any minute Fox isn’t on the floor. Castle is def not ready to take on those duties. Like I said, I’d be fine with CP3 off the bench and that’d be ideal, but he might not be and we need him in the roster.
Happy to be proven wrong about Julian but despite his shooting I still he him as a liability on the court against starter level NBA players on good teams.
You guys are trying to have a logical conversation with a person who said "Devin is pretty darn good, consistently" and "Devin is a legit #2 and Keldon is a legit #3". They didn't say these things last year or even this past summer... these are things they typed within the last few weeks.
Save your time.
tbh I rather see Castle go hero mode than Vassell and Keldon go hero mode.
Is this a serious take? What the dude…
He is watching the wrong games from us all..
Guess we’ll find out tomorrow. Fox is available
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