The Irregular Trebuchet of Stephon Castle

[scott]

Welcome to San Antonio. LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Note: Shout out to Extra Stout for the beautiful thread le suggestion. Maybe we look forward to the hundreds of pages to come.

[DAF86]

Time to root for this young black kid TD21

[couchman]

Nice le!! Let’s go Stephon!!

[DAF86]

Time to root for this young black kid TD21

[GoSpurs99]

L o L

I love the Pick! #GSG

[Em-City]

didn't we have another trebuchet-related player-thread?

[RC_Drunkford]

we're finally becoming the old Spurs again: best rim protector in the league paired with an elite perimeter defender. Let's hope he develops a jump shot soon.

[Chinook]

Is it weird that I like the Castle pick way less after the Dillingham trade? I don't know if it's because this might guarantee that Castle will play PG rather than playing whatever positions his talent dictates, if the lack of additional players might signal that guys like Wesley and Branham again have zero accountability and will have a clear path to minutes or if it's because the suggests the Spurs may not have done legit due diligence on the prospects. It just doesn't sit right with me.

[LeBowen]

didn't we have another trebuchet-related player-thread?

Dieng's shot was a a trebuchet, could be him, hamsters not running fast enough to check right now.

[z0sa]

Castle is nice, regardless of what happened with the 8th pick. Can't wait to see this guy in silver and black.

[Obstructed_View]

Twin trebuchets?

[Russ]

Me gusta Castle.

Dumb as a post, but he can play.

[Rosewood]

Fan of this guy. Expecting big things in the next few years.

[BackHome]

Looking forward to seeing Castle help improve our defense it is going to be a fun year watching his development

[scott]

Is it weird that I like the Castle pick way less after the Dillingham trade? I don't know if it's because this might guarantee that Castle will play PG rather than playing whatever positions his talent dictates, if the lack of additional players might signal that guys like Wesley and Branham again have zero accountability and will have a clear path to minutes or if it's because the suggests the Spurs may not have done legit due diligence on the prospects. It just doesn't sit right with me.

Maybe it's just the letdown of the trade... but I feel ya. I like Castle a lot, but not as a PG. But it appears that is where we are going. Your Wesley/Branham comment is spot on. For a team so devoid of talent, kicking the can down the road to the next decade just seems... off.

[DAF86]

Is it weird that I like the Castle pick way less after the Dillingham trade? I don't know if it's because this might guarantee that Castle will play PG rather than playing whatever positions his talent dictates, if the lack of additional players might signal that guys like Wesley and Branham again have zero accountability and will have a clear path to minutes or if it's because the suggests the Spurs may not have done legit due diligence on the prospects. It just doesn't sit right with me.

No, it is perfectly logical. With Castle and Dillingham you probably had the perfect combo. A great mix of defense, size, playmaking and shooting. Two guys that complemented each other perfectly. Probably the best defensive player in the draft and the best offensive one.

Now, you just got a guy that you hope beyond hope can develop an average jumper, after failing to develop that trait in the last 5/6 guys you picked.

[freetiago]

Just what we needed, a 4th point guard who never played point guard and can’t shoot ��

[LeBowen]

I guess they're all in on point Castle train.
He better improve his playmaking skills over the summer because developing a shot will take some time.

As I saidd many times already, just because point Jeremy experiment failed, it doesn't mean Pop has given up on the idea.
I like this pick and I think he'll do well, but we need some shooting asap.

And Devin also needs to improve his playmaking.
I guess PATFO is trying to become Bucks 2.0.

Wemby is obviously Giannis 2.0.
Devin's numbers over his first four seasons are near-identical to Middleton's.
Castle's best case scenario is Jrue 2.0.

Will be great if it works out.

[DAF86]

So what are thinking:

Tre/Vassell/Castle/Sochan/Wemby

Castle/Vassell/Champagnie/Sochan/Wemby

Castle off the bench?

[Darkwaters]

Just what we needed, a 4th point guard who never played point guard and can’t shoot ��

Never played point guard?

His basketball career didn't begin last year.

[Chinook]

Maybe it's just the letdown of the trade... but I feel ya. I like Castle a lot, but not as a PG. But it appears that is where we are going. Your Wesley/Branham comment is spot on. For a team so devoid of talent, kicking the can down the road to the next decade just seems... off.

Yeah. Like even if you don't like Dillingham, every team always needs more wings, and almost all of the wings were still on the board. The Spurs have to reach the mountaintop before staying there, and this trade suggests they might take an even slower approach. It's fine that Castle may need some time to learn how to be an effective offensive player in the NBA. It's less fine if he has to learn that without the complimentary talent around him to help him grow.

Castle makes the most sense to me coming off the bench with a dynamic scoring guard. Malik Monk was the free-agent target I wanted most to fill that role, but he's not leaving SAC. Dillingham was almost a dream come true to fill that spot through the draft, but that's not going to happen. I would move on to Graham, as he does fit very well. But it's clear PATFO thinks very low of Devonte compared to Wesley and Branham. So I fear one or both of them will get the nod, the bench will underperform, and Pop will continue to act like there are no answers other than hoping those two play better.

I don't understand the point of having so many assets if you're going to freak out and piss them away because the lesser players you picked years ago keep blocking up the pipeline. They stopped the Spurs from using their second in 2022 and 2023. They discouraged the Spurs from trading up for a guard in 2023. Now they apparently justify passing on Dillingham in 2024. Are they going to continue to block guys in 2025?

[Seventyniner]

Yeah. Like even if you don't like Dillingham, every team always needs more wings, and almost all of the wings were still on the board. The Spurs have to reach the mountaintop before staying there, and this trade suggests they might take an even slower approach. It's fine that Castle may need some time to learn how to be an effective offensive player in the NBA. It's less fine if he has to learn that without the complimentary talent around him to help him grow.

Castle makes the most sense to me coming off the bench with a dynamic scoring guard. Malik Monk was the free-agent target I wanted most to fill that role, but he's not leaving SAC. Dillingham was almost a dream come true to fill that spot through the draft, but that's not going to happen. I would move on to Graham, as he does fit very well. But it's clear PATFO thinks very low of Devonte compared to Wesley and Branham. So I fear one or both of them will get the nod, the bench will underperform, and Pop will continue to act like there are no answers other than hoping those two play better.

I don't understand the point of having so many assets if you're going to freak out and piss them away because the lesser players you picked years ago keep blocking up the pipeline. They stopped the Spurs from using their second in 2022 and 2023. They discouraged the Spurs from trading up for a guard in 2023. Now they apparently justify passing on Dillingham in 2024. Are they going to continue to block guys in 2025?

I would call it the endowment effect but then they wouldn't have traded #8.

[Mr. Body]

We're all gonna love Castle before long, even (most of) the naysayers. The guy is a winner, hardass worker, hardass player, knows what he's doing, and will be like a cold shower on hot guards. There wasn't a Spursier player in the draft - and I mean that in all the best ways. This guy would have been a heavy rotation player in the glory days and he'll be a foundational piece now.

[Chinook]

We're all gonna love Castle before long, even (most of) the naysayers. The guy is a winner, hardass worker, hardass player, knows what he's doing, and will be like a cold shower on hot guards. There wasn't a Spursier player in the draft - and I mean that in all the best ways. This guy would have been a heavy rotation player in the glory days and he'll be a foundational piece now.

[Dverde]