2 Spurs that earned untouchable status, 2 that should be cut loose

The San Antonio Spurs have reached the final week of the regular season and locked themselves into a bottom-three record in the league. Although the organization pleased some fans by securing the best lottery odds and a golden ticket into the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, the 2023 NBA Draft is only part of what could be a critical offseason for the rebuild.

With a new CBA coming into play soon that could affect how front offices approach team building, the Silver and Black must think two steps ahead about how to fill their valuable roster spots. Most players are expendable for the right price, but we should examine which Spurs must get the boot this summer and which pieces are untouchable for the time being.

Untouchable: Jeremy Sochan

The Spurs are in the fledgling stages of their full-blown rebuild, and there is no reason for them to consider moving Jeremy Sochan. He has been an invariable beacon of optimism for a young club that has struggled on both sides of the court, and he has already cemented himself as a foundational piece for San Antonio.

Sochan has averaged 11.0 points, 5.3 boards, and 2.5 assists per game, all of which are the most by a Spurs rookie in over a decade. The 19-year-old forward has posted splendid nightly numbers, but his intangibles are what has put him on the national radar. He unsettles opponents, dives for loose balls, and cleans the glass.

Most fans regarded Sochan as a defensive specialist after his lone season at Baylor, and while he has displayed outstanding positional versatility, his ball skills have been equally encouraging. Standing 6-foot-9, he can make live-dribble passes and initiate offense in a way most players his size only dream of. Those guys don't grow on trees.