The San Antonio Spurs received the grim news this week that two of their key starters – forward Jeremy Sochan and guard Devin Vassell – have been ruled out for the remainder of the 2023-2024 season due to injuries.
The Details Behind the Injuries
Sochan suffered a left ankle impingement during the Spurs‘ game against the New York Knicks on Friday night.
He was diagnosed after the game and, after consulting with outside medical experts, the Spurs determined arthroscopic surgery would be necessary to repair the damage. This procedure and subsequent rehabilitation means the forward will not play again this season.
Vassell‘s stress reaction in his right foot was revealed by an MRI on Monday morning.
Like Sochan, the timeline for recovery and return to play means Vassell will miss the Spurs‘ final 25 games.
Vassell had emerged as the Spurs second leading scorer this season behind star rookie Victor Wembanyama, averaging 19.5 points per game.
How Their Absences Will Impact the Struggling Spurs
The loss of Sochan and Vassell, two regular starters, deals a significant blow to a Spurs team already struggling through a difficult campaign. At 18-57, the Spurs have the worst record in the Western Conference.
Despite the poor record, Vassell and Sochan had been bright spots.
Vassell‘s scoring punch and high minutes load (33.1 mpg led the team) will be sorely missed.
Sochan, too, had put together a promising second season, increasing his scoring into double-digits at 11.6 ppg and remaining a versatile, energetic defender.
Their absences mean the Spurs will rely even more heavily on the shoulders of 19-year old Wembanyama.
While secure in his role as the team’s foundation, the French prodigy could surely have benefited from having his two rising costars beside him through this challenging season.
Instead, head coach Gregg Popovich will have to lean more on unproven youngsters like Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, and Dominick Barlow over the season’s final weeks.
The Road Ahead: Continued Patience as Young Spurs Develop
The loss of two top performers fo 25 games mirrors the challenging, patience-testing season the historic Spurs franchise is enduring.
With an eye clearly on the future, ownership has empowered Popovich to focus on player development rather than wins and losses.
Despite his legendary coaching status, even Popovich must realize the 2024 playoffs are now almost certainly out of reach. Instead, much like Spurs fans, Pop must grit his teeth through these final weeks and hope this trial by fire prepares Wembanyama, Branham, Wesley and company for 2025 and beyond when Vassell, Sochan and a top draft pick join the fray.
Stay patient, Spurs Nation. The future remains bright even if the present stays painful. Your young stars will be back, and with an offseason’s growth, hungrier than ever to restore San Antonio as an elite NBA franchise.
Sources:
www.nba.com/news/spurs-devin-vassell-jeremy-sochan-out-for-season
zkrainynba.com/nba-news-sochan-moze-juz-nie-zagrac-w-tym-sezonie/
apnews.com/article/san-antonio-spurs-devin-vassell-jeremy-sochan-f974ecc35d162d1d93506c586fcccc42
