Stephon Castle's status as starter raises hard-to-ignore concern

Newly drafted rookie Stephon Castle was already coming into a decent situation when selected by the San Antonio Spurs. The team needed an aggressive, physical guard and someone who could get the ball into Victor Wembanyama's hands. It just got better for the 19-year-old after San Antonio signed Chris Paul to a one-year deal a few days ago.

The respected veteran said he was "sold on the culture and opportunity to help elevate the game of Victor Wembanyama." That alone should have fans of the silver and black jumping for joy, but his mentorship will go far beyond the Frenchman and impact the newest Spurs' career for as long as he plays.

The best fit for Castle's development is obvious

There was some speculation that the six-foot-six guard would potentially be placed at the small forward position due to his frame, and it made perfect sense as the Spurs need a lengthy wing outside of Sochan who can cause havoc around the perimeter defensively. But the recent acquisition of Chris Paul makes it obvious about the direction Castle is moving in.

The 12-time All-Star has built up a reputation for establishing a winning culture everywhere he's been and elevating the play of young stars such as Devin Booker and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who were already talented before his arrival but are now some of the most respected players in this game.

While putting the former Connecticut guard at the three would be an interesting choice, the Paul signing screams that the Spurs are investing in the development of the newly drafted guard. By bringing in one of the game's best mentors, Castle will get at least one season to expand his ability to facilitate and see the floor.

It would make no sense to land Chris Paul and slide Castle to the three, as he would be learning an entirely different position. It would put a lower cap on his ceiling if he wasn't being mentored by Paul to understand the point guard position.

Coming into a situation where he was already going to learn from Gregg Popovich's mind, Stephon now has the chance to learn from two of the greatest basketball minds in existence simultaneously. This should do wonders for the development of Castle's game, as there is already so much upside. Expect Castle to come off the bench behind CP3 starting, as Stephon gets the chance to launch into the stratosphere by learning from these two greats.