Evaluating San Antonio Spurs’ offseason additions so far this season

After a disappointing 22-60 season last year, the San Antonio Spurs made a conciseness effort to upgrade the roster around Victor Wembanyama. So far these roster upgrades are paying dividends as the Spurs have a respectable 7-8 record and could sneak into the play-in tournament.

Let's dive into how the additions of Chris Paul, Stephon Castle, and Harrison Barnes are impacting San Antonio's season.

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Chris Paul

The Spurs signing future hall-of-famer Chris Paul was the most discussed move of their offseason, especially considering the two-man game between him and Wembanyama. Moreover, the Spurs' lack of playmakers was their biggest roster flaw last season. When they share the floor together, Paul and Wemby have an impressive plus-9.4 net rating. Paul's 8.5 assists per game highlight his impact as a playmaker. 

Much of this was to be expected from Paul. However, what wasn't expected was Paul's 3-point shooting abilities. Paul is shooting a scorching 39.7 percent from beyond the arc on 5.2 attempts per game. His 39.7 percent is the highest mark of his career since 2016-17 while Paul's 5.2 attempts are a career-high outside of his two seasons with Morey-ball era Rockets.

In a recent game without Wemby Paul led the Spurs to a surprise win against the Oklahoma City Thunder he poured in 14 points, 11 assists, and four 3-pointers including a clutch time deep ball to seal the win. On the season Paul is averaging 10.7 points. Overall Paul's abilities, as a veteran leader, playmaker, and shooter have been immensely valuable to the Spurs.

Stephon Castle

The Spurs drafted Stephon Castle with the fourth overall pick. The UConn product was touted for his size, defense, and playmaking abilities, and he hasn't disappointed. Castle's size and defense make him an ideal young guard next to Wembanyama. Notably, with Castle and Wemby on the court, the Spurs have an impressive 104.6 defensive rating while the Spurs' overall defensive rating is 111.2.

Castle's scoring and efficiency are still a work in progress as he is averaging 9.9 points per game on 38.2 percent from the field. However, that was expected in his rookie year. Furthermore, he has already shown plenty of flashes of his offensive upside most notably in a recent game against the Los Angeles Lakers where Castle poured in 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting.

So far Castle has been one of the better rookies and it's likely he will reach another level as the season continues. In the big picture, Castle is an essential part of the Spurs' young core and could blossom into Wemby's co-star.

Harrison Barnes

Harrison Barnes landed with the Spurs as part of the blockbuster DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade. He was brought in as both a veteran presence and floor spacer so far he's delivered on both these ends. Barnes is shooting 38.8 percent from beyond the arc he has helped transform the Spurs from the 16th ranked team in 3-pointers made per game last year to the 11th ranked team this season. Additionally, Wembanyama has spoke highly of Barnes' leadership abilities.

Much like Paul, Barnes was a crucial part of the Spurs' upset win over the Thunder he chipped in 20 points including three 3-pointers. Barnes' 9.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game don't jump off the page but he's making a significant impact. He gives the Spurs a trustworthy veteran wing with solid size next to Wemby, this skill set has earned Barnes a start in all 15 games.

Ultimately the Spurs' offseason additions have all been crucial to their season so far. Expect more of the same from Paul and Barnes while the rookie Castle could make a jump in the second half of the season. This along with a possible offensive jump from Wemby and the Spurs could make some noise in the West as a play-in team.