2024 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Spurs finally address painfully obvious flaws

The rest of the lottery

5. Pistons draft Matas Buzelis

6. Hornets select Reed Sheppard

7. Trail Blazers grab Ron Holland

8. Spurs (via Raptors) take Stephon Castle

San Antonio needs a stopper on the wing. Someone capable of defending the opposition’s lead ball-handler and creating some havoc. He can guard multiple positions, operate as a secondary creator, and knows how to win.

As a freshman at UConn, Castle averaged 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 0.8 steals in 27.0 minutes per game as the Huskies won a national championship. Finding a 19-year-old wing with a versatile skill set is never easy, but there is a massive question.

He made just 26.7 percent of his 75 3-point attempts in college. His jumper looks better than the connect rate suggests. Can he consistently knock down shots? Castle is a secondary creator, so being able to space the floor is crucial. He will play stout defense, and going to San Antonio could maximize his potential.

The San Antonio Spurs solve their perimeter defense and playmaking woes by selecting Stephon Castle and Nikola Topic at the top of this mock draft, but they still have two second-round selections to add talent.

9. Grizzlies choose Dalton Knecht

10. Jazz select Rob Dillingham

11. Bulls draft Isaiah Collier

12. Thunder (via Rockets) take Cody Williams

13. Kings select Ja’Kobe Walter

14. Trail Blazers (via Warriors) choose Tidjane Salaun