Stephon

Castle

While De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama combined to score 57 points, Castle had one of his best games of the season from a distribution standpoint. In addition to eight assists, the second-year guard recorded just one turnover in 37 minutes. Castle didn’t have a great night shooting the basketball, but the efficiency as a playmaker was of far greater importance.

Like Victor Wembanyama, Castle had a rough night shooting the basketball. The good news for fantasy managers was that the rebounds and assists were solid, and Castle kept the turnovers (three) in check. While his place in the Spurs’ starting lineup makes Castle a player to roster in 12-team formats, fantasy managers have taken a hit due to his efficiency issues.

Castle is good to go after initially being listed as questionable. He’ll occupy his usual place in the starting lineup, taking on the assignment of defending Anthony Edwards in the Timberwolves’ star’s first game back from a foot injury.

Castle hasn’t missed a game in over a month but could end up unavailable against Minnesota. Dylan Harper would be a strong candidate to fill in for Castle in the starting unit and would receive a nice bump in playing time and production.

Castle needed just 26 minutes of game action on Thursday to secure his first double-double in nearly one month. The second-year guard scored efficiently from the floor, and while he reached double figures in assists, the zero turnovers he committed were perhaps even more impressive. The balanced performance was the second consecutive for Castle, who had struggled to produce previously for a short period. Now that he appears to be out of a slump, fantasy managers should expect him to remain productive against the Timberwolves on Saturday.

Castle had just 11 points and shot 2-of-11 from the field in Sunday’s loss to the Timberwolves. He also wasn’t that great the game before with nine points on 3-of-16 shooting against the Celtics. Castle bounced back with as many points as he had had in the previous two games (20) against the Thunder on Tuesday. He was also just three rebounds and two assists shy of a triple-double. Castle will look to build on this performance Thursday against the Bucks.

Castle had a rough night in Minneapolis. Not only could he not get shots to fall, but the second-year guard was also responsible for seven turnovers. While the rebound and assist numbers were solid, Castle’s inefficiency essentially nullified them. He’ll look to bounce back on Tuesday when the Spurs open a three-game week in Oklahoma City.

In addition to filling up his stat line, Castle kept the turnovers in check, recording just two in the win over the Lakers. Also crucial to fantasy managers were the second-year guard’s percentages, as he made 60 percent of his field-goal attempts and did not miss a free throw. Castle missed both of his three-point attempts, but that area may come along slowly due to the responsibilities on his plate. In addition to initiating offense, he’s being asked to take on San Antonio’s most challenging perimeter matchup on defense. That’s a lot to ask of a young player, but that hasn’t prohibited Castle from establishing himself as a key player in the Spurs’ rotation.

Castle has recorded at least seven assists in six consecutive games, with Saturday’s tally being the most for him since an 11-assist night on December 21 against the Wizards. However, the lack of three-pointers and low field-goal percentage limits his value in eight-cat formats. Castle remains a player who needs to be rostered in most leagues, but his ceiling will be somewhat limited until he becomes more consistent in those areas.

After initially being listed as questionable, Castle will be good to go for the rematch of the NBA Cup Final. With Devin Vassell (adductor) sidelined for at least the next couple of games, Castle should see a boost in usage during that stretch.