Once the Charlotte Hornets fell three spots to No. 6 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery, many quickly pegged versatile Connecticut guard Stephon Castle as their most likely selection on June 26. Castle, who is viewed as one of the best defenders and high-floor prospects in this year’s class, sees himself as a point guard on the next level. Many evaluators felt Castle would translate best as a tertiary playmaker who handles primary defensive assignments against wings, but the 19-year old clearly has other ideas for his future.
According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, which was first reported here on Swarm & Sting, Castle will refuse pre-draft workouts with teams in the lottery already possessing their starting point guard. This would likely indicate Castle will not workout for any of the following teams picking in the top-10: Atlanta Hawks (No. 1), Houston Rockets (No. 3), Detroit Pistons (No. 5), Charlotte Hornets (No. 6), Portland Trail Blazers (No. 7), and Memphis Grizzlies (No. 9).
That’s a big chunk of teams now out of the equation for Castle, but it appears he and his camp have a plan to steer him to a preferred destination.
“I feel my true position is point guard, and I feel the last few months I had to sacrifice for the betterment of the team,” Castle said at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago.
Using process of elimination here, Castle might have his eyes set on one of these three teams: Washington Wizards (No. 2), San Antonio Spurs (Nos. 4 + 8), Utah Jazz (No. 10). Could Castle have a promise from one of these teams, and also showcase him in a point guard role? That’s a high possibility, because, if not, Castle’s camp is costing him a lot of guaranteed money.
“I feel like I have a pretty underrated skillset in that way,” Castle said. “ I feel like I demonstrated that a lot more in high school, because I was on the ball a lot more. Yeah, I feel like I can see the court pretty well and get guys shots right in the pocket. So, I feel like that’s a trait a point guard needs to have in this league. It’s one I think I have.”
During his lone collegiate season at UConn, Castle averaged 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals/blocks per game. During the NCAA Tournament, Castle showcased a more aggressive offensive mindset, which helped boost his overall stock.
Now, with Castle solely viewing himself as an NBA point guard, the three-point shooting inconsistency becomes even more concerning. Castle shot only 26.7% on three-pointers for the Huskies, and teams will play off him on the perimeter as the primary ball handler if this isn’t fixed in short order.
As a 6’6” point guard, what would Castle’s ceiling projection now look like? Is it a more refined Marcus Smart with better potential as a scorer? Castle’s decision to do this will now bring more questions than answers for NBA teams.
From the Hornets’ perspective, Castle’s unwillingness to even interact during the pre-draft process should take him off their board. If Castle and his camp don’t see a fit alongside LaMelo Ball, there’s no need for Charlotte to waste their time.
Truly an unfortunate change of events for Charlotte, because Castle did profile as their best overall fit to put into their exciting young core.