Expect to see Stephon Castle in uniform tonight when the Silver and Black take the floor in Indiana for their fourth preseason game against the Pacers. Several local media members have confirmed that the reigning Rookie of the Year will be making his debut, and that's one more piece of the puzzle back on the floor for Mitch Johnson as the roster rounds into shape ahead of the regular season.
From what I hear, Spurs are at this point planning to treat tonight and Friday as close to dress rehearsals as they can.
Meaning all healthy players are expected play in both games, including the very tall French fellow.
— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) October 13, 2025
As Jeff McDonald confirms, Spurs Nation should be ready for another extraterrestrial sighting as well. The coaching staff is approaching this the right way. San Antonio's preseason isn't just about knocking off some rust and getting the guys conditioned. They're still working on chemistry and instilling Coach Johnson's vision for the team, so the more time they can play together, the better.
What we want to see from Castle
In Dylan Harper's debut game against the Utah Jazz, he came off the bench, so I expect that to continue. The starters will likely be Castle, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, and Victor Wembanyama. As the only point guard on the floor, things should run through the explosive sophomore out of UConn.
He'll need to be assertive with the basketball and aggressive with his reads. One of the things he worked on during the offseason was making reads off the dribble, so getting the ball to the right person at the right time should be a point of emphasis tonight.
Fans had a chance to see Steph for a bit during the team's open scrimmage, but this is his first real NBA action, so while it would be nice to see him knock down a bunch of threes, we need to be patient if he struggles in that area tonight. However, he still needs to take them when they're available. He can't turn down open looks to drive into traffic. Take what the defense gives.
Speaking of defense, the athletic combo guard showed off his impressive chops on that end of the court last season, and fans will want him to pick up where he left off. The Pacers will be without their best player, Tyrese Haliburton, for the entire year, but this is a team that made it to the NBA Finals last season, so they'll be a challenge.
Indy is led by former Spurs rival Rick Carlisle. He was a great coach when he was in Dallas, and he's a great coach now. Those guys will be ready to go despite not having Hali on the court, and they play a lot of guards. Facing them in his first game will be a great challenge for Steph. One that we know he's capable of handling, and that's exactly what fans want to see him do.