Dylan Harper's thumb injury pretty much erases any possible confusion about who is going to start between him and Stephon Castle when the regular season gets going. The Spurs already announced that the Rutgers rookie would miss most, if not all, of training camp. He may even [miss time when the games start](https://airalamo.com/dylan-harper-thumb-surgery-one-concerning-ripple-effect), so there's no question that Castle will be in the opening unit.
He was already projected to get that spot, but those are just educated guesses. Who knows what would have happened once training camp began? I believe that Mitch Johnson would be willing to [start whoever earned the role](https://airalamo.com/san-antonio-spurs-got-number-one-overall-pick-without-winning-lottery-dylan-harper). It's the best way to conduct camp with so many players deserving of minutes. Make the players fight for them.
Now, Castle gets a chance to hop out to an early lead and establish himself with the other starters in a way that could guarantee him that spot for the entire year. At least, that's the hope.
Castle will be a major key to San Antonio's success this year
-------------------------------------------------------------
Steph has a special knack for making things happen when the offense breaks down. He, like Victor Wembanyama, is one of the few players on the team who don't need structure every play to thrive. When you think about the players on the team, most of them need some sort of setup. There's nothing wrong with that, but certain guys are called special for a reason.
The ex-UConn Husky can go one-on-one at any time and get a good shot off because he has a quick first step, he's strong, explosive, shifty, and has great body control. That's such a valuable trait. De'Aaron Fox is the other player on the team who can make things happen, and we hope that Dylan Harper possesses that ability, too. We just need to see it at the professional level.
But there will be times when an opponent's defense wins possessions when the offense is running an action to get to a specific look. When that happens, it'll be critical to get the ball into the hands of someone who can just get a good shot off. Castle is one of those guys, and that's why his shot development is so critical.
Right now, defenders give him space when he catches the ball on the perimeter, daring him to shoot. Once he starts knocking those shots down with consistency, they'll be forced to close out harder, opening up driving lanes for him to wreak even more havoc. Add all of that to his ability to bully his way to the rim for a good shot if need be, and this offense really opens up.
It all starts with him taking advantage of his spot in the starting lineup next to Fox and Wembanyama. They'll draw most of the attention, and he'll need to deliver when he gets his opportunities.