Spurs' lottery pick may have already played his last game for the franchise

The San Antonio Spurs may have already played Jeremy Sochan for the final time. The 22-year-old did not get a contract extension in the offseason, and his playing time was immediately sporadic. The 22-year-old has been a DNP-CD in three straight games, including wins over the Lakers and Thunder. San Antonio has no reason to bring him back into the fold anytime soon.

Questions about his role are not new. The 6’8 forward is a subpar shooter and less than ideal fit next to Victor Wembanyama in the frontcourt. Sochan has improved every year, but the Spurs are balancing fit and spending concerns. Clearly, the 22-year-old is not part of the franchise’s future.

The Spurs selected Sochan with the 9th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He is loaded with talent. The point guard experiment failed, but he can make plays and defend multiple positions. Multiple teams will have interest as a second-draft player. San Antonio would be wise to maximize his value.

Jeremy Sochan may have already played his final game with the Spurs

Mitch Johnson used a nine-player rotation in each of the last three games. Wemby was injured for the win over the Lakers and played 25 minutes or fewer in the other two contests. In the game without their star, Johnson played Kelly Olynyk over Sochan. Olynyk was a DNP-CD in the last two contests with Wembanyama back.

The Spurs have a glut of frontcourt options. They even embraced a small-ball look with the three guards in the NBA Cup Finals. Johnson will use Wemby, Harrison Barnes, Luke Kornet, and Keldon Johnson every night. With Olynyk passing Sochan, the 22-year-old is at best sixth in the Spurs frontcourt pecking order. With Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie getting minutes on the wing, there is just no room for Sochan.

The Spurs are embracing shooting and defense around their stars. It has made the San Antonio look like a serious title contender. They are surprisingly fourth in the Western Conference after 25 games. Wemby gives San Antonio a chance against anyone, and the Spurs are committed to putting the right pieces around him to maximize their championship odds.

Sochan is the odd man out on a talented roster. It puts him firmly on the trade block. The soon-to-be restricted free agent could become a key rotation piece elsewhere. He is 22 years old and still improving. He has value, and fans shouldn't be surprised to see him get traded before he plays another game with the Spurs.

It would take multiple injuries to get Sochan back into the rotation. He may see minutes late in a blowout or as a change of pace option, but those are the only avenues at this stage. The experiment has finally run its course.

The San Antonio Spurs should trade Jeremy Sochan before the Feb. 5 deadline. They want to maximize their title odds, which puts multiple deals on the table. Fans didn’t expect them to be this good so quickly, but that is the advantage of having one of the best players in the world. Stay tuned to see how it all plays out.