The San Antonio Spurs finally unveiled their highly anticipated three-guard starting lineup on Wednesday, and the early experiment ended with a convincing 123–103 preseason victory over the Phoenix Suns.
Head coach Mitch Johnson put De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle together for the first time in the starting lineup, giving San Antonio a chance to examine how three talented ball-handlers could operate alongside Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell.
The result was encouraging, although the performance also revealed why the combination will need time to develop.
San Antonio struggled to find its rhythm during the opening minutes, with Harper and Castle missing their first five shots between them. Fox, making his preseason debut after recovering from a hip issue, left the game with 6:57 remaining in the first quarter.
However, the Spurs gradually found their footing. By half-time, the three guards had combined for 31 points, 12 rebounds and six assists as San Antonio established a 60–49 advantage.
The Spurs eventually pulled away to secure their first victory of the preseason, giving Johnson an encouraging early result as he evaluates a lineup that could become an important part of the team’s plans for the 2026–27 NBA season.
Mitch Johnson Finally Makes the Move
The three-guard lineup had been one of the most anticipated developments of San Antonio’s preseason.
Johnson had wanted to test the combination earlier, but Fox’s hip injury delayed the plan. With the veteran guard available against Phoenix, the Spurs coach finally had the opportunity to place all three players in the starting five.
The idea is straightforward: combine Fox’s experience and speed with Castle’s physicality and Harper’s developing playmaking ability to give San Antonio several players capable of initiating the offence.
Instead of depending on one primary creator, the Spurs could rotate responsibility between three guards who can handle the ball, attack defenders and create opportunities for their teammates.
Johnson has also emphasised that the trio must contribute away from the ball. Running the floor, finishing defensive possessions with rebounds and maintaining the team’s preferred pace will be important if the arrangement is to work consistently.
That last point matters because three ball-handlers cannot all control possession at the same time. Their effectiveness will depend partly on how well they operate when another guard has the ball.
The challenge is to make the group function as a connected unit rather than three talented players taking turns creating their own opportunities.
Johnson has described the development as a natural evolution for the team, while acknowledging that the players will need time together to make it work.
A Difficult Start, Followed by a Promising Response
The first few minutes offered a reminder that even an exciting lineup can experience growing pains.
San Antonio struggled offensively at the beginning, and the three guards did not immediately produce the smooth attacking combinations supporters might have hoped to see.
Harper and Castle missed their first five attempts combined, while Fox was still working his way back into game action after his absence.
But the early difficulties did not define the night.
The Spurs began to generate better offensive sequences as the first half progressed, with the trio contributing across scoring, rebounding and playmaking. Their combined production of 31 points, 12 rebounds and six assists by the break showed that the lineup could create value in several areas rather than relying exclusively on scoring.
San Antonio also established control of the game during the second quarter, turning a competitive opening period into an 11-point half-time lead.
That response was arguably as important as the final margin.
A lineup being tested for the first time will not necessarily look polished from the opening possession. What matters is whether the players can adjust, identify better opportunities and begin to understand how their individual strengths complement one another.
The Spurs showed encouraging signs of that progress against Phoenix, although one preseason game is not enough to establish how effective the combination will be against regular-season opponents.
Stephon Castle Leads the Way
Castle finished with 18 points, providing the most productive scoring performance among the three guards.
His ability to attack the basket and draw fouls was particularly important. Fourteen of his points came from the free-throw line, demonstrating how aggressively he looked to put pressure on Phoenix’s defence.
That approach could become valuable in a lineup featuring multiple players capable of creating advantages off the dribble.
Castle does not need to become the team’s primary scorer to make the arrangement successful. If he can pressure defenders, reach the paint and force opponents into difficult decisions, he can create opportunities for Fox, Harper and Wembanyama.
His physical approach also gives the Spurs another way to attack when perimeter shooting is not falling.
The key will be finding the right balance between aggression and decision-making. Castle’s ability to get to the line is useful, but the lineup will become more difficult to defend if those drives also generate open shots for teammates.
His performance against Phoenix offered a positive starting point for that development.
Fox Returns as San Antonio’s Experienced Creator
Fox’s return was another important part of the evening.
The guard had missed San Antonio’s first three preseason games because of a hip issue, making Wednesday’s contest his first preseason appearance of the campaign.
His presence gives the Spurs a proven offensive organiser who can push the pace, penetrate defences and create scoring opportunities under pressure.
Fox’s speed is especially relevant to Johnson’s plans. A team that wants to play quickly needs guards who can advance the ball before the opposition’s defence is fully established.
But Fox’s role in the three-guard lineup will extend beyond simply bringing the ball up the court. He must also learn when to initiate the offence, when to allow Castle or Harper to create and how to remain dangerous when he is not the primary ball-handler.
That balance could determine whether San Antonio’s talented backcourt becomes a genuine advantage.
Fox’s experience should help, but the combination still needs meaningful minutes together to establish reliable habits.
His return also gives the coaching staff a better opportunity to evaluate the lineup before the regular season begins.
Dylan Harper Adds Another Playmaking Option
Harper is the youngest member of the trio, but his inclusion makes the experiment particularly intriguing.
The Spurs are not simply adding another guard who can score. They are giving a developing playmaker an opportunity to operate alongside two established members of the team’s plans.
That creates possibilities for San Antonio’s offence.
Harper can handle the ball, help organise possessions and attack gaps created when defenders concentrate on Fox or Castle. His presence also gives Johnson another option when the initial play breaks down.
However, the adjustment will require patience.
Harper must learn when to be aggressive, when to move the ball quickly and how to remain involved when he is not initiating the possession. Those decisions become even more important when sharing the floor with multiple players who are comfortable handling the ball.
His early shooting struggles against Phoenix showed that the transition will not be perfect from the outset.
Nevertheless, the opportunity to develop alongside Fox and Castle could prove valuable if the coaching staff gives the trio enough time to build chemistry.
Wembanyama Could Benefit From Multiple Creators
The potential benefits extend beyond the three guards themselves.
Victor Wembanyama is the central figure in San Antonio’s long-term plans, and placing several capable playmakers around him could make his offensive responsibilities more manageable.
When a defence focuses heavily on Wembanyama, Fox, Harper and Castle have the ability to exploit the resulting space. If opponents instead commit extra defenders to stopping the guards from penetrating, Wembanyama could receive more favourable opportunities around the basket or in space.
Multiple ball-handlers can also help reduce the burden on any single player to manufacture a good shot on every possession.
That does not mean the three-guard arrangement will automatically improve Wembanyama’s production. The players must still make good decisions, move without the ball and recognise when to feed the big man rather than force an individual opportunity.
But the combination gives Johnson several ways to create advantages, particularly when the Spurs maintain their pace and move the ball decisively.
The challenge is ensuring that the offensive possibilities translate into consistent execution against stronger defensive competition.
The Defensive Question Remains
There is an obvious risk in building a starting lineup around three guards.
Against larger opponents, San Antonio could face difficult defensive matchups, particularly if the lineup struggles to control the boards or protect the paint when Wembanyama is away from the basket.
Johnson has stressed the importance of rebounding and running the floor, recognising that the guards must contribute to the team’s overall structure rather than focus solely on offensive production.
Defensive versatility will be essential.
Fox, Harper and Castle must be able to compete physically, communicate effectively and avoid allowing opponents to exploit mismatches. The Spurs will also need support from Wembanyama and the remaining frontcourt players when opposing teams try to use their size.
The Suns game offered a promising result, but preseason victories cannot settle those questions on their own.
The real test will come when opponents have more time to study the lineup and deliberately target its weaknesses.
For San Antonio, the objective is not merely to prove that three guards can share the court. It is to establish that the combination can remain effective when teams adjust their game plans.
A Winning Debut, but Plenty Still to Prove
The 123–103 victory gave the Spurs an encouraging result and allowed Johnson to test a lineup he had wanted to see in action for some time.
Castle’s scoring, Fox’s return and Harper’s opportunity to develop alongside both guards provided several reasons for optimism.
Yet the opening struggles also offered a useful reminder: chemistry cannot be established simply by placing talented players in the same starting five.
The trio must learn how to share responsibilities, create opportunities for Wembanyama and remain defensively reliable. Those are challenges that will require more than one preseason appearance to solve.
For now, San Antonio has taken an important first step.
Johnson has seen the lineup compete, respond to a difficult start and contribute to a comfortable victory. The next task is to determine whether those encouraging signs can become consistent habits when the games begin to count.
The Spurs have the talent to make the three-guard combination interesting. Whether it becomes a defining strength of their season will depend on how quickly the players turn that talent into chemistry.
About The Author
