Encouraging Jeremy Sochan update is right on time for Spurs fans

Thank the basketball gods: Spurs fans needed more good news on the injury front. As of this moment, Victor Wembanyama hasn't been confirmed yet for the Warriors game, but he's trending in the right direction. But Devin Vassell is still out due to a similar injury to the one Wemby had: a bone bruise. Fortunately, the team saw fit to spread some optimism by way of Jeremy Sochan news.

This isn't the first time the Polish Prince has been spotted on the court getting some work in. He was taking jump shots recently at practice, working on his game even while out. Mitch Johnson has said the 6'9" forward is staying engaged. He's itching to get back, and the team misses Sochan's presence. His return will be huge for several reasons.

Sochan is the Spurs' Swiss Army knife

When you think about it, Wemby is the extraterrestrially, super-charged version of a Swiss Army knife in the basketball sense. He can do any and everything on the court at a high level. That's what makes him so special, so it makes sense when observers demand he stays in the paint like a traditional big. But this isn't about him, so I digress.

Fans may have heard about the Spurs boasting a top-five defense when Sochan was in the lineup, but to be specific, it was third overall (107.4) before he went down. In the ten games he's been out—including the Clippers game he got injured in—San Antonio's defensive rating has plummeted to 18th (113.3).

You may be inclined to believe the numbers are skewed due to Wembanyama's absence the past three games, but when you take those games out, the Silver and Black were actually worse with a 115.7 rating (20th) over the seven-game stretch he played without Sochan.

The fourth-year forward had a terrific start to the season. That's 15 points on over 50% shooting the Spurs are missing right now. He helped the squad secure possessions as the third-best rebounding team in the NBA—a claim they no longer possess. They've only been slightly above league average with their do-it-all weapon on the sidelines.

Offensive rebounding has been a glaring omission from San Antonio's game. It's more about rebounding, sure, but offensive rebounding is more important than ever for a team still struggling with turnovers. Whenever you can get an extra possession, it's imperative to do so. Spurs' opponents are still averaging five more shots per game due to the turnover problem.

This team has been dealing with adversity since before the season started. If it's not one thing, it's another, and the good news is welcome. Hopefully, Sochan keeps progressing with no setbacks because it would be great to reintegrate him into a team that's started to find its stride offensively.