Already missing the second overall pick in this summer’s NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs announced they would be without superstar Victor Wembanyama before attempting to break a two-game losing streak in a matchup with the Sacramento Kings. A couple of hours later, they also sidelined their reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, Stephon Castle.

The Spurs have not provided detailed information about either player’s status, though their decision regarding Wembanyama appears to be grounded in precaution. Castle’s injury, meanwhile, does not seem to be serious either.

“I think it was just something that he felt. I don’t think there was a specific play,” Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said about Wembanyama. The Spurs entered the Kings contest after two hard-fought losses against the Golden State Warriors.

“Obviously, we’ve seen around this league recently, the calf tightness thing is not something you want to take lightly,” Johnson added. “So, just got to get some more information and don’t want to push it there.”

The 7-foot-5 center’s absence marked his first of the season. When asked if an afternoon tip-off following a later-than-usual start time two days prior played a role in the decision to keep their best player out, Johnson was clear.

“Probably not. Calf tightness, there’s certain things that you don’t want it to be a gateway thing or anything like that. So you just need to be clear on what’s going on. So added precaution here.”

### Mitch Johnson Shares Latest on Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper

Right as halftime versus the Kings was coming to a close, the Spurs announced that Castle would not return because of a right hip issue. The former national champion at UConn stayed on the bench instead of heading to the locker room for the remainder of the game.

“To be honest, I’m not sure. I believe it’s his hip, but I don’t know anything,” Johnson said afterward. “I just was told that he wasn’t coming back in the game. There was no drastic fall or big incident, I don’t believe. Maybe there was a play, but I’m not sure.”

Castle played 16 minutes, scoring four points and dishing out five assists in the 123-110 victory. The second half marked the first action he’s missed this season.

Dylan Harper, whom the Spurs selected right after the Dallas Mavericks picked Cooper Flagg in June, has not seen the court since a November 2 setback against the Phoenix Suns. Harper left that contest in the first half of a night that also ended the Spurs’ undefeated start to the year.

“He’s progressing. It’s getting better. He’s out the boot,” Johnson said. “And so again, you’ve just got to build that thing up. For every day that you are in the boot or off the court, you’ve probably got to hit it on the other side. It’s getting better, and it’ll be good to have him back on the court ramping up here pretty soon.”

While Harper won’t play in the Spurs’ next game, scheduled two days after their win over Sacramento, the status of Castle and Wembanyama remains uncertain.

“I have not got any more information since we talked pregame,” the Spurs’ first-year head coach said about Wembanyama during the postgame press conference. “But, again, I know he’s chomping at the bit. He wanted to play 82 games,” Johnson elaborated.

“Calf tightness, we’ll see what that means and when we dive into it, but we’re not gonna— we’re not going to risk it.”
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-wemby-stephon-castle-get-injury-updates-after-win-vs-kings