LOS ANGELES — Eager to leave the second hostile arena they’d occupied in three days, the San Antonio Spurs sent in Stephon Castle rather quickly.
The second-year point guard was tasked with owning up for his mistakes. His six turnovers to cap off a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers weren’t entirely on him, but they landed on his record.
Hiding from the moment was an option, had Castle opted out of a media availability, but he had nothing to bury.
“It comes with it,” he said.
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Castle was forced into a prevalent facilitation role in lieu of De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper. The former will be cleared for action Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans, but Harper’s status remains in flux.
So Castle isn’t in the clear yet. Still, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson remained adamant about his role consistency.
“I don’t think he had more creation,” Johnson said. “He’s been doing it all year … but some of the turnovers are just inappropriate and unacceptable.”
Nov 5, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić (77) gets the ball away from San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Several of the Spurs’ ill-advised turnovers came as Castle brought the ball up the court. The guard attempted to lean into his ability to get downhill, but stopped short of the basket to find a pass around the 3-point arc.
Los Angeles managed to jump several of the passing lanes to create a fast break for itself; its plan worked to perfection.
“J.J. (Redick) really wants us to have our defense create our offense,” Lakers center Deandre Ayton said. “That’s what you see glimpses of … (turnovers) really gave us that boost, as well.”
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As proficient a defender as Castle is, he understands tendencies of ball handlers. The UConn product tries to “impose his will” on every matchup.
He plans to tie that into the balancing act he’s been thrust into.
“It’s about just being able to balance it and read the defense,” Castle said, citing a need for more simple plays. “There’s a couple of things that I saw that were just bad reads.”
Nov 5, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) shoots against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Despite his struggles — Castle leads the Spurs in turnovers per game — which resulted in a pair of losses when coupled with Victor Wembanyama’s recent offensive inefficiency, the Spurs stand by their point guard.
In his first two seasons, Wembanyama experienced a slew of turnovers stemming from volume. He’s a skilled ball-handler, but his lank frame leaves openings for defenders to sneak up behind him when entering the post.
In terms of Castle, Wembanyama might be the least worried.
“It’s just like anything else,” the Frenchman said. “He’s aware of it, we’re aware of it. We trust him with the ball in his hands. Not a worry at all.”
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As the Spurs prepare to add back pieces to their rotation, Castle will continue to find his footing as a primary facilitator. With a fully healthy roster, the guard will be able to shift back into primary role as an downhill scorer.
Johnson isn’t fully letting him off the hook, however.
“Six turnovers is too much,” he said, “and we agree with that. There’s times where, whether we’re on a run or it’s a certain point in the game, turnovers are unnacceptable. (But) all possessions are created equal.”
Oct 24, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
“It is easier said than done,” Wembanyama added, “but I think it comes with maturity and experience. We need to adapt as a collective.”
Perhaps Castle can take a page or two from the Lakers, and let his defense fuel his offensive prowess.
“He’s going to guard a ton of different premiere players on the other team,” Johnson said. “He has an opportunity to affect the game as much as anybody.”
As of late, the Spurs have struggled. Like the turnovers, they’re aware of that, too. But they’re committed to improvement. And returning home.
“I take every game as a challenge,” Castle said, “no matter who I’m matched up against. The defensive end is a big part of my game.”
