Spurs desperately need Jeremy Sochan to unlock his potential by solving this flaw

No member of the San Antonio Spurs has as much riding on next season as Jeremy Sochan. The odds of a possible contract extension for Sochan are very much a question mark, given concerns about his ceiling. Still, next season will give him the perfect chance to prove doubters wrong.

Sochan's off-season videos have gotten Spurs fans' hopes up, but to quote Hawkeye from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, "Don't do it; don't give me hope." His dramatic improvement as a shooter would be almost too good to be true.

How many sketchy shooters in college come to the NBA, make marginal improvements as a shooter, only to break out in their fourth year? Stat Muse or Basketball Reference might catch on fire trying to find the answer.

It's safe to say that there aren't many players like that, but the Spurs desperately hope that he can make a big leap next season.

Jeremy Sochan must live up to expectations, or else

The headline sounds a bit dramatic, but it's do-or-die time for Sochan entering his fourth year in the NBA. San Antonio needs the player type that Sochan could theoretically be: a power forward who can defend every position, rebound, finish in the paint, and shoot.

Those players don't grow on trees, and while it might've seemed like a reach to take a high-level role player ninth overall back in 2022, if he can figure out the shot, then he could be a crucial reason why the Spurs start contending for championships.

As far as goals for Sochan next season, last season he averaged 25.3 minutes per game. Assuming that he plays a similar or even larger role, he must take at least four threes per game and shoot better than 35%.

That would technically still be below league average. But hitting better than one-third of his threes while attempting them at a high rate would be a huge step in the right direction.

That would only be part of his game, with him showing dramatic improvement as a rebounder last season and him being able to drum up extra offensive possessions. Sochan is also a good cutter and could take advantage when teams help off him when spotting up.

Hopefully while being able to make them pay if they leave him wide open from outside. He and Victor Wembanyama had a nice two-man game where Sochan would set screens for Wembanyama, only to slip them and dive to the basket for a lob.

It worked more often than not and would be a nice wrinkle to further exploit if they were to start together or play big minutes alongside one another.

What happens if Jeremy Sochan fails to live up to expectations?

If Sochan fails to live up to expectations or even has a similar year to last season, it may force the team to reevaluate his role. If he can't take a big leap forward, particularly as a shooter, do they bring back Harrison Barnes on a multi-year deal?

Possibly, if for, say, 2 years and $30 million, giving them a starting four who fits well next to Wembanyama for less than what starters normally make.

Even so, that would be a disappointment considering that Sochan theoretically would be a perfect pairing next to Wembanyama defensively. But if he fails to expand his range, then he is essentially a center on offense. It might not be a deal breaker with Wembanyama proving that he can be a high-volume 3-point shooter.

But it's also dependent on players such as Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper becoming good shooters. If both can, then a De'Aaron Fox, Castle, Harper, Sochan, and Wembanyama lineup is still viable.

Ultimately, a lot rides on Sochan's play this season. If he can develop into a reliable shooter, then the Spurs will have found their starting power forward of the future, giving them an elite defensive player and passable offensive player to pair with Wembanyama and company.

If he fails to improve, he will still be a rotation player but perhaps max out as a third big man who is a plus on defense and a drag on offense. The Spurs certainly hope for the former.