Spurs instantly make stance on Carter Bryant crystal clear after releasing Sochan

The sudden emergence of Carter Bryant has been a game changer for the San Antonio Spurs. Not too long ago, despite being the team's worst rotation player, he was being gifted minutes. Now, he's legitimately playing well, all in a span of a few weeks.

Who would have thought? Sure, young players can develop rapidly, but Bryant was always seen as a project. However, Coach Mitch Johnson's belief in him is really starting to pay off, and Bryant is dangerously close to being a good NBA player.

He has become much more disciplined defensively by not jumping on every pump fake or going for every steal. That hasn't affected his ability to be disruptive, however, and we've seen him force several turnovers in recent games as well as make some eye-popping blocks.

Offensively, his shot looks great right now, drilling 41.6% of his threes on 4.8 attempts per game over the last five games. Some of his recent success can be attributed to him moving much better off-ball.

He knows exactly where to go and where to be. If Bryant can continue to make an impact on both ends as a rookie, then his and the Spurs' future is incredibly bright.

Carter Bryant could be the answer to a big Spurs question

His rapid development came at the expense of former Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan. He was already out of the rotation well ahead of the NBA trade deadline. But Bryant becoming a reliable three-and-D weapon meant that Sochan had no chance to compete for minutes.

It's no secret that the Spurs have some big question marks at power forward. Harrison Barnes has been a great stopgap, but he's slowing down and has recently begun coming off the bench.

That has paved the way for Julian Champagnie to start. That is perfectly fine, but with Barnes possibly not returning next season and Sochan already gone, this team needs a long-term option at power forward.

Fortunately, if Bryant continues to improve at this rate, it's not far-fetched that he could start next season. That would be the best-case scenario for San Antonio, who would have a second lockdown perimeter defender.

One who can guard wings while Stephon Castle harasses guards. All of that with Victor Wembanyama shutting down the paint. He also fits their timeline, with him being barely 20 years old.

Bryant's emergence makes the Spurs' future brighter

With him on a rookie deal for this season and the next three, he's super cheap and, along with Dylan Harper, gives the Spurs a distinct competitive advantage. Having three of their four best players on rookie-scale deals keeps the Spurs from feeling the wrath of the new collective bargaining agreement.

Even more so if Bryant becomes a legit starting-caliber player in year two. That could mean a four-year window, including this season, with a core of Wembanyama, Castle, Harper, Fox, and hopefully now Bryant.

Currently, San Antonio appears to be peaking at the right time. As has Bryant, who's giving them a huge lift.