The Spurs can catapult themselves into playoff contention next season

The youth movement is huge for the Spurs

Despite being suited in silver and black for less than a month, Stephon Castle has already shown plenty of flashes of future stardom. After winning the National Championship with UConn this year, the Spurs took Castle with the number 4 overall pick in the NBA Draft. It was no secret that San Antonio was looking for a star guard to pair with Wembanyama, and Castle has all the makings to be that player. In the three Summer League games he played in, Castle averaged 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and more than a steal per game.

Defensively is where the guard thrives the most, as his 6'6 height allows him to cover the floor with ease and guard multiple positions. Offensively, his playmaking has been excellent, and while his shot will need some work, it's something that Castle will likely improve over time. It's a small sample size, but Castle has the makings to become one of the brightest young stars in this year's rookie class.

The Spurs have made additions through free agency and the draft, but the biggest factor in whether they will make the playoffs or not is the play of Victor Wembanyama. Not much needs to be said about the Frenchman's rookie campaign last year. Across 71 starts, Wemby averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.6 blocks per game. What's even more impressive about the center's numbers is that he averaged less than 30 minutes played a game nightly.

As Wembanyama now enters his sophomore campaign, his minutes are likely to increase, and his numbers will follow suit. With a mix of exciting young players and proven veterans around him, Wembanyama has the potential to give the Spurs a season for the ages and end their 5-year postseason drought.