Amen Thompson's new contract must be Spurs' blueprint for Stephon Castle's next deal

Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson's new rookie extension could serve as a model for San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle's next contract. Thompson recently signed a 5-year, $208 million extension with the Rockets that will pay him up to 22% of the salary cap going forward.

That seems like a reasonable deal for Houston given that Thompson has shown significant promise, but he still is a questionable offensive player. I'd be as bold as to say that Castle is better on both sides of the ball, though his offensive potential isn't clear-cut.

Coming out of U-Conn, the biggest knock on Castle was his questionable jump shot. He has shown enough to warrant optimism. Despite that, he still has a long way to go before becoming a good shooter.

The Spurs must be cautious about Stephon Castle's next contract

Many Spurs fans expect both Dylan Harper and Castle to receive 25% max contracts. That could ultimately be the case, especially if Castle makes the All-Star team next season.

He was arguably San Antonio's second-best player last season when they won 62 games and made it to the NBA Finals. That's far from nothing, but, if he doesn't make the All-Star team or All-NBA next season, that could leave the Spurs in a bit of a bind.

Yes, star Victor Wembanyama took a 30% max contract extension that gifts the Spurs some wiggle room. But if Castle doesn't emerge as the team's third star next season, then they shouldn't be ready to throw a 25% max contract at him.

The Spurs must convince Castle to take less than the max

The Spurs will have about a year to possibly convince Castle to take less than the max, and he will hopefully follow Wemby's lead. San Antonio probably won't ask him to take 22%, but even taking 24% of the cap as opposed to a 25% max could save the Spurs about $1.75 million annually.

That might not sound like much, but it could be the difference between the Spurs being stuck in the dreaded second apron or ducking below it. That could set the table for Harper to do the same, which may help the Spurs save around $8 million annually thanks to their young core.

Compare that to the Oklahoma City Thunder, whose three best players are eating up 85% of their cap. If they can get Castle and then Harper to take less, San Antonio could have a big advantage over their rivals, with Thompson's deal possibly serving as a blueprint.

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