Spurs are making a gigantic Stephon Castle mistake they will quickly regret

The San Antonio Spurs are running out of time to make a push for the play-in in the Western Conference. Locking up a top-six seed is nearly entirely out of the question at this point, and getting somewhere in that seven through ten range is likely the best case scenario for the Spurs at this point.

Preventable losses have gotten us to this point. San Antonio has gone home with losses in four of their last six games, with three of those losses coming to teams who currently hold a losing record. Part of what could have prevented these games ending in losses is the rotations.

Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor pointed this out on a recent podcast episode, noting that the rotations must improve for this team to reach the postseason. "It's critical for them to get in the playoffs," he said. "And that's why it's so disappointing to me to still see Chris Paul in that starting lineup. It makes no sense. And some of these wack rotations that they're rolling with right now. Like I said, (Stephon) Castle playing 20 minutes is so goofy. It is so silly to me."

Castle is more effective alongside Fox and Wembanyama

O'Connor is spot on with his analysis here. Castle has been such a positive in his rookie season that playing him this sparingly is hard to understand. Getting the talented rookie as many reps in lineups alongside De'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama is going to be the best thing to keep his development rolling. It is also likely to lead to wins in the meantime.

After this, O'Connor points out the fit (or lack thereof) for Chris Paul in the Spurs' starting lineup, something we have already discussed on Air Alamo as well. "Chris Paul, if he's unwilling to come off the bench, I'd just get rid of him," O'Connor said. "That might be harsh, but you've got to come off the bench at this point. You have De'Aaron Fox on the team, who is a very high-level point guard. Chris Paul slows things down. You want to play faster with Victor and Fox.

"Why are they starting together? You have a six-foot spot-up shooter? No, he should be a back-up that's helping run the point with the bench guys and staggering with Fox, playing lesser minutes and making an impact." It is hard to disagree with this logic. Paul has been praised for his leadership, as he should be.

But the basketball fit in the starting lineup simply does not make a lot of sense. Having him run the second unit is easily the best move here, while letting Fox and Castle begin to establish chemistry that will pay off not only later this season but also in later years.