The San Antonio Spurs just got great news recently when rookie Stephon Castle won Rookie of the Year. After Victor Wembanyama won it last season, it gives them their second straight award winner.
More importantly, it proves that they have a bright future ahead of them with Castle, De'Aaron Fox, and Wembanyama. Despite reasons for optimism, they face a massive decision this summer that could determine the course of their franchise for the next 5 to 10 years.
If they keep their current core together and Wembanyama and Castle live up to their full potential, then they could rival the Oklahoma City Thunder as the dominant team in the Western Conference. However, they could make a win-now move this summer to accelerate their timeline and contend next season.
The San Antonio Spurs must decide whether to trade Stephon Castle for a superstar
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to demand a trade this summer. This is after the Bucks failed to make the second round for the third straight season.
With Giannis likely to become available, the Spurs are uniquely positioned to land him and pair him with a potentially generational prospect in Wembanyama as well as an All-Star in Fox. But it will cost them significant assets that they could use to build a contender that can compete for the next decade.
On the other hand, acquiring Giannis would allow them to compete for a championship as soon as next season. That's something that they can't pass up with a rebuild that has stretched six seasons and counting. If Giannis demands a trade and the Bucks take offers, they will almost certainly want Castle, Devin Vassell, and Keldon Johnson plus at least three firsts.
Should the Spurs be willing to trade Stephon Castle for Giannis Antetokounmpo?
In a word, yes. Castle displays significant potential, but his potential hinges on his ability to become a good high-volume shooter. The Spurs previously had a track record of teaching players how to shoot, but that track record has become rather sketchy of late.
Jeremy Sochan still can't shoot after three seasons; neither can former first-round pick Blake Wesley. Johnson has been with the Spurs for six seasons and is still among the most streaky shooters in the NBA. Each player is different, but it seems unlikely at this point.
The Spurs have a lottery ticket in Castle with him having star potential, but Giannis is an all-time great player with three or four seasons of peak play left in him. Odds are that Castle, as much as I'm bullish on him, won't become a third of the player that Giannis is now.
Moving him now would likely be the equivalent of two firsts in terms of trade value, with the Spurs probably being able to get away with giving up three firsts in the deal. Add in Vassell and his questionable deal, and Johnson, who is useful if inconsistent, and the Spurs could talk themselves into a deal. However, it will depend on what Giannis wants and what the Bucks will accept back in return.