Grade the take: Spurs have faith ‘untouchable’ Stephon Castle can reach De’Aaron Fox’s level
The San Antonio Spurs have emerged as the frontrunners to land De’Aaron Fox in the coming days, as his tenure with the Sacramento Kings appears to be nearing its end. Both teams are actively working on a deal that would give the Spurs their long-coveted point guard while providing the Kings with assets to build for the future.
However, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported earlier today that a trade may be more complicated than anticipated, as rookie guard Stephon Castle has been deemed untouchable.
“If there was a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Luka Doncic on the table, they might consider it. But I don’t know if De’Aaron Fox rises to that level… They may believe Castle will be comparable to Fox in a couple of years.”
With the Spurs under growing pressure to pair Victor Wembanyama with another elite talent, the question remains: Is Castle’s potential too promising to sacrifice for a win-now move?
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Grade the Take: B
Castle has been one of the more impressive rookies in a draft class that lacks a definitive top player, averaging 11.9 points and 3.5 assists in 25.5 minutes per game. Due to Jeremy Sochan’s absence with a back injury, Castle has been sharing the backcourt with Chris Paul, gaining invaluable experience from the 20-year veteran.
Selected fourth overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Spurs remain high on Castle’s potential. He’s coming off his best offensive stretch of the season, scoring 17 or more points in five of his last seven games while shooting above 40 percent from the field. His continued growth has positioned him as a strong contender to give San Antonio its second consecutive Rookie of the Year winner.
Still, the Spurs are far from playoff contention, sitting at 20-24 and 12th in the Western Conference. While Castle’s development has been encouraging, the NBA’s win-now mentality raises the question of whether the Spurs should capitalize on a proven star like Fox rather than waiting for a young player to develop.
Though fans are eager for San Antonio to return to the postseason — something they haven’t done since 2019 — Fox’s arrival could accelerate that timeline. Whether the Spurs and Kings can reach a fair agreement remains one of the biggest storylines to watch in the coming days.