Castle is supercharging Spurs' offense with a skill level he shouldn't have yet

Stephon Castle has taken astronomical offensive leaps this season, but the most glaring improvement is his passing and playmaking. He's averaging 7.4 assists per game, which is up from the 4.1 he posted in his rookie season. Through his last 15 games, he has logged over nine assists per game.

Now, I'm not sure how many of us expected Stephon Castle to morph into a potential elite point guard, but it's happening. Mitch Johnson has given him the keys to this offense, and he's been a driving factor for the Spurs' dominant attack on that end.

There were a ton of questions about the Spurs this offseason. Critics weren't sure about the fit between Harper, Castle, and Fox, and really, the team's status out West in general. I think it's safe to say Castle's growth as a playmaker is a reason why San Antonio's been able to put those concerns to rest.

Stephon Castle is the reason the Spurs backcourt works

The best thing that Stephon did this season to fit into the Spurs' complex backcourt situation was sharpening his passing chops. Since he is not yet an elite floor spacer, the way in which he can co-exist perfectly with the likes of Fox and Harper is to be a reliable facilitator.

He's been awesome at leveraging his athleticism and physicality to get into the paint and draw defenses, then kick the ball out to shooters on the perimeter. And these aren't just strong side penetrate-and-kick looks. He's also throwing some amazing skip passes to the opposite side of the floor.

Additionally, he's built a scary amount of chemistry with Victor Wembanyama. They've been an amazing tandem on the offensive end as Castle has mastered getting him the ball at the right spots, either on the perimeter or at the rim. Stephon has been one of the best lob-throwers in the Association.

Stephon can be come a double-double player

I really want to emphasize this: what we're seeing from Castle is not a fluke. These are not just small flashes and spurts of brilliance as a playmaker. He's been consistent with his improvement as a distributor all season long. At this point, it should be no surprise when his stat sheet shows off 10 assists or more any given night.

There is no doubt that he can average a double double for an entire season at some point in time through the near future. He's already sixth in the league this season in total triple doubles, so the evidence that he can go an entire 82 games with an elite all-around stat line is compelling.

Don't be shocked if he has an entire series or two this postseason where he's able to record a double-double average. As things slow down and the game becomes a bit more cerebral, his playmaking will be even more of a focal point in San Antonio's offensive attack.

The growth of the second-year star has been scary. He's progressed as a defender and a scorer, and the ultimate cherry on top is his improvement as a lead guard. The NBA isn't ready for what he's about to become.