Outrageous Castle revelation actually benefits Spurs more than you know

The San Antonio Spurs may unexpectedly preserve their future if a recent report about Stephon Castle's perceived value around the NBA holds true. It's a development that's equal parts baffling and encouraging, as Castle reportedly isn't viewed as a rising star in every circle.

As a result, the Spurs may find a way to make a meaningful trade this offseason without having to part ways with the 2024-25 Rookie of the Year.

Castle, 20, won San Antonio and its fans over with his tenacious defense and impressive versatility on the offensive end of the floor. The main question moving forward, however, is whether or not he'll be able to improve his jump shot.

According to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, those concerns have resulted in a division among rival executives on the topic of Castle's true potential.

"With all due respect to Castle, his value league-wide is more mixed, as some executives love his upside, whereas others worry about his inefficiency as a shooter long-term."

That's a shocking revelation considering how effective Castle already is and how monstrous his upside appears to be, but the Spurs should take solace in the NBA's underestimation.

NBA undervaluing Stephon Castle could help Spurs avoid trading him

San Antonio is expected to be active during the 2025 offseason as it attempts to complement Victor Wembanyama with an improved supporting cast. It made significant strides toward achieving that feat in 2024-25 when it traded for All-NBA point guard De'Aaron Fox.

With Fox and Wembanyama already on the roster, speculation is mounting that the next move will be for the Spurs to go all-in on Giannis Antetokounmpo if he formally requests a trade.

It's admittedly difficult to envision a scenario in which the Milwaukee Bucks accept an Antetokounmpo offer from San Antonio that doesn't include Castle. Sam Amick of The Athletic recently stated that Milwaukee will be, "Out for blood," if it ultimately has to trade Antetokounmpo this summer.

San Antonio has quite an asset with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, however, and Vecenie's report at least poses the question of whether or not Castle would be viewed as an essential inclusion.

In the event that Antetokounmpo ends up elsewhere, the Spurs should find it even more manageable to hold on to their young defensive ace. Other intriguing options exist, but the gap between Antetokounmpo and the next player who's likely to be available is massive.

As such, the Spurs could realistically enter the 2025-26 season with Castle, Fox, Wembanyama, and a true impact acquisition leading a defensive force of nature.

Beyond the context of the trade market, the concerns over Castle's jump shot may be overblown. Yes, he shot 27.4 percent from three on the year, but he averaged 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.3 three-point field goals made on .452/.302/.727 shooting after Feb. 1.

It's hard to get too excited about 30.2 percent shooting, but it's worth noting that he shot 26.9 percent from distance before Feb. 1—meaning he made a 3.3 percent improvement within his rookie season. If nothing else, signs of growth already exist.

Thankfully, rival executives don't appear to realize how great of an asset the Spurs have on their hands with Castle.