Spurs are all but guaranteeing Jeremy Sochan's offseason departure

The San Antonio Spurs can’t expect Jeremy Sochan to stay if they are not making him a key part of their rotation. He only played 6.3 minutes in their loss to the Warriors on Wednesday night. Sochan and the Spurs failed to find common ground on an extension ahead of the deadline, so he will be a restricted free agent in the offseason. The 22-year-old is playing for a massive payday and won’t get it without significant minutes.

Sochan missed the first six games recovering from a wrist injury, but instantly proved his worth. He had 16 points and a steal in 22.5 minutes against the Lakers on Nov. 5. That turned out to be his season-high in minutes as he has struggled to find his role and make an impact since.

The 6’8 forward is a flawed player, but Spurs fans watched him develop since being the ninth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He is a subpar shooter, but makes up for it in other ways. Sochan started 149 of his first 184 games in the league. He averaged 27.3 minutes per game over his first three years. The talented forward certainly won’t be happy barely playing.

Jeremy Sochan is all but gone from Spurs if playing time doesn’t increase

Sochan is averaging 6.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 0.6 steals in 14.8 minutes per game so far this season. Those are all career lows, despite him shooting a career-high 57.9 percent from the field. The Spurs have been outscored by 25 points and have a negative-12.1 net rating in his 74 minutes, but it is a small sample size.

His growth since being drafted should earn him a larger opportunity to prove himself on this roster. Sochan had a 0.3 value over replacement player (VORP) last season and rated just below league average by win shares per 48 minutes. The Spurs were 0.5 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor in his third NBA campaign.

Sochan proved he can help San Antonio win and will want that same chance elsewhere if the Spurs can’t lock down a consistent role for the talented forward.

Restricted free agency could make this situation messy. Fans saw Josh Giddey, Jonathan Kuminga, Quentin Grimes, and Cam Thomas sit in limbo for months before landing new deals. None of those players got the dollars they wanted. There is projected to be more cap space in 2026, but teams are reluctant to tie up it up for days as they wait for word on the offer sheet.

Sochan can’t stay in San Antonio if they are only going to play him ten minutes per game. The Spurs want shooting around Victor Wembanyama, but that would mean ignoring all the traits that make Sochan a productive player. There has to be a change. If Mitch Johnson and company don’t play the forward more, he will be looking for a new home in the offseason.

The San Antonio Spurs are ready to leap into contention and are doing their best to win games. Jeremy Sochan may no longer be part of the plan. Either way, something has to give in this situation. It is trending toward a costly departure that fans don’t want to see. Sadly, it may be best for both parties.