3 Point Guard Lineup Historical Parallel

[First Try]

During the 2014-2015 NBA season, the Phoenix Suns decided to experiment with a three point guard lineup featuring Isaiah Thomas, Goran Dragic, and Eric Bledsoe. Isaiah Thomas was a speedy scorer who penetrated the paint frequently due to his questionable perimeter jump shot. Goran Dragic was a cerebral facilitator and outsmarted defenders more athletic than him. And Eric Bledsoe was a physical specimen that made his mark on the defensive end.

Initially, this experiment was fruitful, at least on offense. Opponents would struggle to stop multiple playmakers on both the weak and strong side. A top 7 pace led a top 2 offensive rating, but as expected, it also led to the 29th ranked defense. Chemistry issues stemming from having to share the ball forced management to split up the trio. Looking back at this other small ball experiments, I ask, are these archetypes similar enough to Fox, Harper, and Castle?

I’m not advocating for or against a three point guard lineup. The conclusion of a historical trial is not intended to be accepted as fact, but there is some correlation-causation at play both for those Suns and the current Spurs. Obviously, depending on the matchup, it could be viable or vulnerable. The reason I bring up any of this at all is because in the modern position-less era, talent almost always wins out despite size or role.

If Fox, Harper, and Castle end up as three of the five most talented players on the team, then thankfully we’ll have a failed blueprint to look back on and analyze it more to see what went wrong and if anything can be done to make it work. It’s funny how the fanbase is all excited about French Vanilla and I’m sitting over here pondering the other end of the scale. Here’s to a healthy and successful 2025-2026. Go Spurs Go!

 

[Exstatic]

Those 3 guys are all small. The biggest in that group, Dragic,mis about the size of Fox, the smallest in our trio.

Having 3 guys who can run the team and initiate the offense should never be seen as a problem, especially when two of them can defend other positions.

We’re going to need multiple creators to get past OKC, and that’s pretty much the bottom line. They love teams that have one clear ball handler. They put Dort on him, and just jam up their offense.

 

[Kick-Stand]

Those 3 guys are all small. The biggest in that group, Dragic,mis about the size of Fox, the smallest in our trio.

Having 3 guys who can run the team and initiate the offense should never be seen as a problem, especially when two of them can defend other positions.

We’re going to need multiple creators to get past OKC, and that’s pretty much the bottom line. They love teams that have one clear ball handler. They put Dort on him, and just jam up their offense.

Yeah Castle and Harper are huge PGs and Fox has pretty good size for a PG (especially wingspan). TP and Manu won four titles together and I can't think of a better comparison for De'Aaron than Tony. And Dylan looks to have a lot of Manu/Harden in his game. I expect them to fit pretty well. Steph is probably going to need to become around a league average shooter for the three to play together though. Really hope it happens because he has so much defensive potential as well as being a nasty finisher.

 

[NASpurs]

Nothing to do with the OP (kind of) but remember when the Suns had Kidd, Nash and Kevin Johnson? Talk about being loaded at the PG position (although KJ was mostly injured from my research).

 

[Kick-Stand]

Nothing to do with the OP (kind of) but remember when the Suns had Kidd, Nash and Kevin Johnson? Talk about being loaded at the PG position.

That's gotta piss Suns fans off so much thinking what their team could have been with Kidd and Nash together instead of trading for Penny Hardaway and then gifting Kidd to the Nets for Marbury. KJ was sadly broken down by then.

 

[O_V]

Victor is so aware on court of snap transitioning from defense to offense. Having a lot of guys with the awareness to get him the ball quickly is just what he needs. This team looks like it can learn to beat opponents in a lot of different ways

 

[bozhemoi]

The Knicks were running multiple guards recently, but iirc one was often Jason Hart who rebounds really well and carries some wing duties.

I do believe there will be a point where the team will have to decide to move one of them -- probably btw Fox and Harper -- but that's not on the horizon yet. If the Spurs want to return to the beautiful game, these three guards are the types of attack-and-kick players who can make it work.

 

[Paramore]

in the basketball systems of Asia, before, around the 80s and 90s...South Korea experimented with the idea of four shooting guards and one center......or one center, one forward and three guards who can shoot
during that time, China was the basketball behemoth...and South Korea was the only team who could compete with them
but, of course, they were deadly three point bombers

 

[spurraider21]

The saddest one i remember is the Bucks trying out Payton and Cassell together after they dealt Allen

 

[spurraider21]

the Mavs fairly recently had Doncic and Kyrie.

Manu was always a quasi point guard for us and he and TP both staggered and shared minutes.

Houston was good with CP3 and Harden. Obviously harden/westbrook in okc before harden was really considered a point guard

Thunder ran cp3/schroder alongside sga

Raptors played a lot of Lowry and FVV when they were good

There’s no hard rule against it. You just need guys that are capable of playing off each other and have enough aggregate size

 

[Guru of Nothing]

Magic, Nixon, Cooper comes close to three PGs.

 

[spurraider21]

There’s also the unconventional point types like holiday/iguodala

Lebron and any number of guys

 

[Seventyniner]

There’s no hard rule against it. You just need guys that are capable of playing off each other and have enough aggregate size

Fox + Castle + Harper in a trench coat would almost add up to another Victor.

 

[wemvp]

Their minutes will be more staggered than not. Initially it'll probably be Harper working with the bench unit, but if he proves too talented to not play with Wemby I could see Castle getting PG duties from the bench with Harper being a 2 guard that also facilitates the offense at times.

Salary will play into it with Fox being paid too well to come off the bench, even if Harper and Castle look like the best duo by year 2. They could even start all 3 then quickly shift one of Harper or Castle to rotating with the bench depending on matchups.

As usual with this situation it'll ultimately be up to Mitch to read the situation and make proper decisions on how to handle the team based on how quickly the young players develop. There's a lot of versatility with the pieces they have.

 

[ambchang]

The encouraging part about the jazz game was that Harper seems to be only to play off ball quite well, how he cut, get to open spots, etc is something that would work very well with point wemby.

Will see how that translate into the real games.

 

[bozhemoi]

The encouraging part about the jazz game was that Harper seems to be only to play off ball quite well, how he cut, get to open spots, etc is something that would work very well with point wemby.

Will see how that translate into the real games.

Yeah, that first cut to the rim was very smart, and then he banged a three from the corner. I actually don't think Fox does that well off-ball, a prime concern of mine with him, but that Castle and it seems that Harper can.

 

[couchman]

I’ve said from early on that Harper may be a better fit to start next to Fox than Castle because he shoots spot up 3s better.

 

[sKiN20]

If vassell, champaigne and water are hitting thir 3’s we’re going to be one of the best 3pt shooting team in the league

 

[Exstatic]

Yeah, that first cut to the rim was very smart, and then he banged a three from the corner. I actually don't think Fox does that well off-ball, a prime concern of mine with him, but that Castle and it seems that Harper can.

Fox shoots the catch and shoot 3 at over 40%. He’ll be fine off the ball. He’s a blur with the ball, and will likely be nearly invisible cutting without it.

 

[scott]

Who's the 3rd PG? Castle is a 3, tbh