Carter Bryant’s playoff minutes depend on the skill that doomed Jeremy Sochan

Carter Bryant has been on the rise in San Antonio’s rotation. He’s in the midst of his best month of NBA basketball so far, averaging 9.0 points and 3.8 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game in February. The Spurs are clearly starting to trust their rookie more and more, and with the playoffs in sight, it feels possible that Bryant could be on the floor in the games that matter most.

For Bryant to crack the postseason rotation this spring, though, he’ll need to improve one aspect of his game, and it’s the same skill that led to Jeremy Sochan’s demise with this team.

Carter Bryant needs to show more consistency as a shooter

Bryant has already proven to be a fantastic energizer off the bench for the Spurs. The youngster is always giving 110% effort on both sides of the ball.

He’s an advanced defender for a rookie who gets stops on the ball and racks up steals and blocks, which is his standout trait, but he does the little stuff well, too. He’s one of the Silver and Black’s best rebounders, ranking fourth on the team in total rebound percentage behind Victor Wembanyama, Luke Kornet, and Keldon Johnson.

Bryant’s athleticism, defensive grit and heart will pop in a playoff environment—there’s no doubt about it. However, he has work to do offensively if he’s really going to succeed on the biggest stage this soon.

The bouncy wing is shooting just 32.1% from three on 1.8 attempts per game on the season. That’s not going to cut it in the postseason when teams zero in on and pick apart every weakness they can. If Bryant can’t shoot more efficiently from deep, opponents will leave him wide open every trip down the floor, which would make him a liability.

Jeremy Sochan is an example of what not to be for Bryant

To be fair to Bryant, it’s really rare for rookies to be genuinely good shooters. But, it’s even rarer for them to shoulder major roles in the playoffs. To be one of the outliers, Bryant will need to shoot like an outlier.

The recently released Jeremy Sochan is an example of what a defensive specialist who struggles with his jumper looks like on a playoff team. The former ninth-overall pick never developed even a league-average trey ball, and he completely fell out of favor in San Antonio because of it.

Like Sochan, Bryant will end up riding the bench in big moments if he can’t hit triples. But, if that’s the case, that’s okay while he’s still a rookie. No need to put sky-high expectations on the kid this early. If he’s still a lackluster shooter in three years, it’ll be a different story.