As the San Antonio Spurs continue to win games, we are getting a chance to see which players have a role on this team and which don't. With each passing game, it seems increasingly clear that fan favorite Jeremy Sochan is seeing his role diminish.
That has been an unfortunate side effect of his missing all of preseason and the first six games of the regular season. That absence gave free agent signing Luke Kornet a chance to show what he can do, and he has quickly earned minutes that might have otherwise gone to Sochan. In fact, he is currently averaging just 16.5 minutes per game, the lowest of his career.
Part of Sochan's problem is the unforeseen resurgence of Harrison Barnes. Barnes was initially a throw-in in a three-team trade, and the Spurs were more interested in the pick they were receiving than the player.
However, Barnes' sharpshooting has made him an excellent fit at power forward, suddenly pushing Sochan to the bench. And with Kornet playing well at backup center and as the de facto power forward in lineups with Victor Wembanyama, Sochan's role is diminishing.
Jeremy Sochan's role is rapidly diminishing on the Spurs
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With star Victor Wembanyama out for a few more games, the Spurs will need to rely on Sochan more, with him hopefully being able to establish himself on this version of the team. He did show off a much-improved 3-point shot in the first few games following his season debut, though he has cooled off recently.
If he can hit open threes consistently, then he can possibly expand his role by essentially splitting minutes with Barnes. That is what everyone is hoping for since it would make the Spurs both better and deeper. An improved jumper paired with his defensive versatility would make Sochan an extremely valuable player.
However, that might be tough for Sochan to accomplish in just one season, or even in a few games. Reworking a jump shot over the summer usually doesn't pay off in a player drilling 40% of their threes on high volume the following season.
Even hitting 35% of his threes on decent volume would be a big deal, but if he can't, then his fit on this team becomes far less clear. He still has a role as the backup four, but the Spurs have more options there than in recent years with Kornet and Kelly Olynyk.
Sochan must evolve into a good shooter to expand his role
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Kornet provides size, rebounding, and rim protection and has been surprisingly effective offensively as a lob threat. Meanwhile, Olynyk is a good shooter, a crafty finisher in the paint, and a good passer. Both have unique skill sets, and while Sochan does too, his best skill is defense, and the Spurs already have several good perimeter defenders and Wembanyama there to shut down the paint.
Simply put, Sochan's biggest strength doesn't move the needle on this team as much as it once did. Therefore, he will need to focus on shooting to help him thrive on the other end of the floor.
If he can't, then the Spurs may look to move him or even [let him leave in restricted free agency](https://airalamo.com/jeremy-sochan-extension-nightmare-awaits-spurs) if the cost is too high to bring him back. Let's hope that Sochan can carve out a consistent role to make the Spurs even better.