One missing piece stands between Stephon Castle and superstardom

Spurs fans have a lot to be excited about next season, and one of those things is Stephon Castle's continued development. An All-Star leap seems to be around the corner, but, for that to happen, he needs to establish himself as a deadly three-point shooter in his third year.

Now, I know what you're thinking. Castle already improved drastically in that area throughout the course of his second season. He struggled a bit to start, then found his stride after the All-Star break. That translated into the playoffs, where he drained 35% of his looks from distance.

But now it's on him to cement himself as a consistent three-point shooting threat. Can he sustain that efficiency through an entire 82-game season at higher volume? His third year has to be the one in which he forces defenses to respect his floor spacing ability; the Spurs need that to unlock their offense.

The Spurs need a boost in three-point shooting

Just because the Spurs had one of the highest-rated offenses last season doesn't mean there aren't points of improvement. They were a pretty mediocre three-point shooting group, ranking 15th in the league in accuracy and 18th in percentage of their points from three.

Just imagine how much better one of the NBA's best offenses could be if they made their threes at a higher clip? Castle's sustainability in that area next season could be a catalyst behind that.

The biggest leap for him is becoming dangerous off the dribble. In the playoffs, some defenses elected to sag off on him when the ball was in his hands, daring him to shoot. He punished them a few times, but that ability to make threes off the bounce has to be a consistent weapon in his offensive toolkit next season. It also makes him a bigger threat when he's orchestrating pick-and-rolls.

If he can also cement himself as a reliable catch-and-shoot threat all year long, it optimizes the Spurs' backcourt. This could force defenders to stay home on him on the perimeter and make life easier for Dylan Harper and De'Aaron Fox to get to the basket.

Castle is so close to becoming one of the NBA's most complete players

If Stephon can prove that he's a serious threat from distance next season, he'd cement his status as one of the most complete players in the NBA. He's already a great point-of-attack defender, an elite downhill driver, and a legitimate playmaker. Add a sustainable three-ball to his arsenal, and he's one of the rarest all-around forces in the league.

He's so close to getting there. He made several timely threes in the playoffs; now it's time for him to carry it over into an entire season at a higher volume. Not only does this help him individually, but it also makes the Spurs' offense an even bigger headache for opponents.

The Spurs are ready to win a championship. This isn't some young team that's patiently waiting for its turn. They tasted the NBA Finals, and they're hungry for more. If Stephon Castle keeps unlocking important parts of his offensive game, their title hopes can quickly turn into a reality.

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