It's not even training camp but Spurs already have a Stephon Castle problem

Stephon Castle is coming off a fantastic rookie season where he took home the Rookie of the Year award and left plenty of reason for excitement in fans' minds. Now, entering his second season, there are plenty of questions about what exactly his role will look like for the San Antonio Spurs.

The first question likely in everyone's mind right now is whether Castle will start or come off the bench. This is a decision that's going to undoubtedly impact his development, his confidence, as well as his statistical output.

Should he end up in the starting lineup, he's going to face much tougher defensive matchups early on. If he ends up as one of the first players Mitch Johnson brings off the bench, he could potentially be asked to lead the second unit, which is a different challenge altogether. 

Stephon Castle will likely see increased opportunity to begin the season

Whichever outcome this ends up being, Castle is going to have increased opportunity while Dylan Harper is sidelined. Stephon is likely going to need to carry more of the offensive workload and playmaking responsibilities for the Spurs than he would otherwise. 

The make or break factor here is going to be just how much Castle improved throughout the summer. He has previously acknowledged his need to improve shooting efficiency, particularly from behind the three-point line. His rookie year percentages of 42.8% from the floor and 28.5% from three-point range certainly left something to be desired. 

As Castle's role naturally grows, the expectations are going to increase when it comes to his consistency and his ability to handle pressure in tight game scenarios. On the offensive side of things, there's unquestionably a lot more refinement to be made. Toward the end of last season, he had been blocked more than any other player on the Spurs' roster. There's clearly an element of decision-making to be improved on top of pure offensive shot-creating.

Overall, Castle's versatility and athleticism are among the biggest reasons fans are still very excited about his upside. He knows there's another level to be reached here, and the Spurs faithful does as well. Whether he starts, comes off the bench, or simply takes on more responsibility while Dylan Harper is out of the picture, this season will be the true test of how quickly he can turn flashes of promise into consistent, reliable production.