Who is in the Spurs' three-guard lineup?

De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle were used together in the same unit for the first time in a preseason game against the Suns. All three are guards.

Who coaches the Spurs?

Mitch Johnson is the Spurs head coach and made the decision to put the three guards on the floor at once. He has not explained the timing of the move publicly.

What was the score of the Spurs game against the Suns?

The Spurs won 123-103, a 20-point margin, in a preseason game played on Wednesday.

Will the Fox, Harper and Castle lineup start in the regular season?

That has not been settled publicly. The Spurs have not said whether the trio will start together, how many minutes they will share, or whether the look will be used again during the preseason.

Basketball

Spurs field Fox, Harper and Castle together for first time in win over Suns

The three guards shared the floor in a 123-103 preseason win, a combination the coaching staff had not used earlier in the warm-up programme.

By Sportsback1h ago

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The Spurs used De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle in the same backcourt for the first time on Wednesday, beating the Suns 123-103 in a preseason game. Head coach Mitch Johnson deployed the three guards together, and the Spurs finished 20 points clear. It was the debut of a combination the team had not previously shown.

A three-guard line-up is a trade-off rather than a free upgrade. Playing three backcourt players at once tends to add ball-handling, passing and perimeter shooting, while taking size out of the frontcourt and leaving the team more exposed on the glass. Preseason is the usual place to find out whether that exchange is worth making, because the results do not count towards the standings and a coach can look at a group without a league position riding on it.

Why the Spurs tried it now

Johnson has not explained his reasoning, and nobody at the club has said whether the trio was always scheduled to appear in this game. Wednesday was the first sight of the group, which means there is no earlier sample to compare it against. One preseason outing is thin evidence on which to judge how three guards fit together, particularly while the minutes and the match-ups they faced are unknown.

Why it matters beyond one game

Most preseason experiments are discarded before the games start counting. The interest in this one lies in the personnel: three guards who would ordinarily be competing for the same minutes were given those minutes at the same time. Whether that becomes a regular part of the rotation, or stays a single look in an exhibition, is the question the rest of the warm-up schedule should answer.

What is not yet known

Several basic details have not been made public. The Spurs have not disclosed how long each of the three played, how they shot, how many turnovers the unit committed, or how the team scored while they shared the floor. Nor has the club said whether the combination will be used again before the regular season, or how the minutes would be divided if it is.

Fox, Harper and Castle are all guards, and all three were on the floor at the same time on Wednesday. Nothing about their individual roles inside the unit has been confirmed: who brought the ball up, who played off it, and who took the tougher defensive assignment are all unanswered. The Suns have not commented on the game or on how they chose to match up against the group.

What happens next

The Spurs have not said whether the three-guard look will reappear, or whether it is intended for the rotation once games start counting. If Johnson returns to it, the next questions will be about minutes and about which of the three gives up the ball. If he does not, Wednesday will read as a one-off look rather than a plan.

Frequently asked questions

Who is in the Spurs' three-guard lineup?: De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle were used together in the same unit for the first time in a preseason game against the Suns. All three are guards.
Who coaches the Spurs?: Mitch Johnson is the Spurs head coach and made the decision to put the three guards on the floor at once. He has not explained the timing of the move publicly.
What was the score of the Spurs game against the Suns?: The Spurs won 123-103, a 20-point margin, in a preseason game played on Wednesday.
Will the Fox, Harper and Castle lineup start in the regular season?: That has not been settled publicly. The Spurs have not said whether the trio will start together, how many minutes they will share, or whether the look will be used again during the preseason.