Spurs have painfully obvious Jeremy Sochan extension decision

The San Antonio Spurs enter this season with a few looming questions hanging over their heads. One of them is what they're going to do with Jeremy Sochan. He's up for a contract extension, but they've yet to agree to terms, and Zach Lowe believes they should keep it that way for now.

If you've paid attention to Sochan's summer activities, you know how hard he's been working on his game. But are you ready to commit to another four years based on summer workouts? Probably not. Lowe makes a good point about his fit next to Victor Wembanyama so far. The roster construction must be centered around the franchise center, and the former Baylor Bear was put on the bench last season for a reason.

Sochan must take control of his destiny

It sounds dramatic, but players often make decisions for the front office based on how they perform on the floor. This is partially why not playing in EuroBasket was a double-edged sword for the Polish Prince. He said himself how much he was looking forward to showing off what he's been working on. The injury he suffered robbed him of that chance.

It wasn't just the fans who would have been interested to see the development. If he had been able to participate, and all of a sudden he was knocking down three-pointers like he was born to do it, things may have been different. But he won't get a chance to demonstrate his improvements until the NBA season starts, and once it does, that's what he'll need to do.

I don't agree with Lowe about his defense. He's been a stellar defender. That's not even close to a problem for the fourth-year forward. It's strictly about his abilities as an offensive contributor. He needs to be able to stretch the floor as a viable threat that defenses have to respect.

Because of how impactful a defender he is, I'd prefer if he just picked up his offensive game and landed a long-term deal with the Silver and Black. If he can get himself back into more lineups with Wemby, there should be real potential for something great because of how strong they both are on the defensive end.

That's what this year will be for. Sochan will need to show that he's improved enough for the Spurs to offer him that extension. He's only in his fourth year, but it will be the most pressure he's faced in his professional career.