Player The Uncertainty Realm of the Improved Jumpshot of Jeremy Sochan

[NotoriousHOP]

I wish we could bust a game so wide open that we could send Sochan in during the last five minutes and tell him, " shoot five threes before the end of the game. Pass up an open three and we are pulling you." He'll never get a rhythm of he's too afraid to take the shots that are available to him.

 

[Shmurs]

See that’s what I mean lol

What do people want?

 

[PanameSpur]

For real? I’ve seen several posts here and r/nbaspurs saying “it’s not that he misses. It’s that he doesn’t try”.

Like a hundred different versions of that. You haven’t seen this? Legit startling.

We literally have a thread counting the 3s Sochan takes bc of this discussion

 

[NotoriousHOP]

Design a spot up action play for him and have a couple of rebounders ready to catch any misses. But the direction is, "shoot it or get out of the game." Because if he remains reluctant to shoot, despite the threat of getting pulled, then you drop him out of the rotation and make him a situational player. He is on his last contract year so it's not like he is going to drop his trade value.

 

[scott]

What about the discussion from last week where I wanted him to not take a wide open corner 3 unless the clock is under a certain threshold? I think that was a castle discussion but would the same apply? That when the offense is flowing the wing should take the open 3 even if he sucks at it?

I follow what you’re saying but I think people actually want him to shoot when he’s wide open.

Could just be Reddit sniffer culture that I’m conflating with stray posts here I guess.

That was a Castle discussion, and Castle is not Sochan and I disagree that the same applies. Castle's form and release look good - Sochan just has a completely busted ass shot. If Castle starts passing up open looks from 3, he'll become Sochan (unplayable on offense) and we don't want that.

Now with that said, if Castle's shot never comes around it's going to become a problem. But right now there are more signs to believe Castle's shot may indeed come around, but it's a real limitation for Steph if he's going to make a jump to the next level. He's not going to be able to do what he's been doing on drives if he just becomes Sochan or Ben Simmons and a complete non-threat from 3.

Back to Sochan... yes, people want him to shoot the three (and make at a decent clip) when he's wide open, because otherwise we're playing 4-on-5. But I don't think anyone is saying "we need to get Jeremy the ball so he can shoot more wide open 3s". It's a semantic difference, but I think it's important. I don't think any sane Spurs fan wants to find ways to get Jeremy more 3pt shots, but we do need him to be at least capable of hitting those open 3s otherwise he's unplayable (which is practically is now, save for a few circumstances). My point is... no one is saying "keep firing up those bricks!", but instead they're saying "if you're open, you need to shoot it to keep the defense honest... but if you can't make them at a semi-decent clip, your ass needs to be on the bench"

At least that is my perception. But to your point, I'm sure there are Sochan stans out there who are saying he just needs a chance to prove he can be our hero. I usually just ignore those people though

 

[scott]

That was a Castle discussion, and Castle is not Sochan and I disagree that the same applies. Castle's form and release look good - Sochan just has a completely busted ass shot. If Castle starts passing up open looks from 3, he'll become Sochan (unplayable on offense) and we don't want that.

Now with that said, if Castle's shot never comes around it's going to become a problem. But right now there are more signs to believe Castle's shot may indeed come around, but it's a real limitation for Steph if he's going to make a jump to the next level. He's not going to be able to do what he's been doing on drives if he just becomes Sochan or Ben Simmons and a complete non-threat from 3.

Back to Sochan... yes, people want him to shoot the three (and make at a decent clip) when he's wide open, because otherwise we're playing 4-on-5. But I don't think anyone is saying "we need to get Jeremy the ball so he can shoot more wide open 3s". It's a semantic difference, but I think it's important. I don't think any sane Spurs fan wants to find ways to get Jeremy more 3pt shots, but we do need him to be at least capable of hitting those open 3s otherwise he's unplayable (which is practically is now, save for a few circumstances). My point is... no one is saying "keep firing up those bricks!", but instead they're saying "if you're open, you need to shoot it to keep the defense honest... but if you can't make them at a semi-decent clip, your ass needs to be on the bench"

At least that is my perception. But to your point, I'm sure there are Sochan stans out there who are saying he just needs a chance to prove he can be our hero. I usually just ignore those people though

Ok, Notorious is saying this, but it's also within the context of blowing a game so wide open so we can do this and it doesn't matter, which is a key distinction.

I think the point is that it's all in the context of "he needs to shoot or he's unplayable". No one wants to get Jeremy shooting the way we want the ball in Vic's hands or want to get good looks for HB or Devin from three, or want Castle and Fox getting the ball to the cup... but we need Jeremy to shoot (and make) wide open 3s, otherwise can't play him (and that's probably a big part of why he's not playing, IMO. I think Mitch is smart enough to see this very clear situation).

 

[Shmurs]

I guess “I don’t care if he makes them. But he needs to take them” is just reddit stuff but I thought it’s been going around among the sane

With castle, though, what are we gonna do - keep the green light when we’re in a game 7? I agree his prospects look ok with his form and improved overall touch. But if he’s doing random pull ups in the first 8 seconds of the clock…I don’t know man. I think when games start to matter you can’t be shooting early in the clock if you aren’t a shooter. Denver had to deal with this with Westbrook last year and it killed them. Jokic did some heroic shit to see through 5 guys to finesse a pass to Russ - who clanks it over and over. So I’m not sure coaches work like this but there should be some informal rule about when guys like castle can pull the trigger.

 

[scott]

I guess “I don’t care if he makes them. But he needs to take them” is just reddit stuff but I thought it’s been going around among the sane

With castle, though, what are we gonna do - keep the green light when we’re in a game 7? I agree his prospects look ok with his form and improved overall touch. But if he’s doing random pull ups in the first 8 seconds of the clock…I don’t know man. I think when games start to matter you can’t be shooting early in the clock if you aren’t a shooter. Denver had to deal with this with Westbrook last year and it killed them. Jokic did some heroic shit to see through 5 guys to finesse a pass to Russ - who clanks it over and over. So I’m not sure coaches work like this but there should be some informal rule about when guys like castle can pull the trigger.

I'll say, for the record, I definitely care that he makes them! 33% on decent volume would be a huge step in the right direction for me. If it's only wide open 3s, then it needs to be closer to 40%, because a guy who only shoots 1 wide open 3/gm really isn't a threat either.

As for Castle, we're still a long way away from a Game 7. For now, I think his shot decisions are mostly fine (he did have one early shot clock three I didn't like). I'm sure his shot choices will tighten up as the year progresses.

 

[Shmurs]

I wonder if they really saw Draymond in this guy when they drafted him. Draymond and Rodman and whatever aspirational comp you wanna make…they were/are lunatics but they’re hyper serious about their craft and about being a professional devoted student of the game.

I don’t know anything about Jeremy other than the 1% of his life we see, but does anyone think he’s a serious person? Does anyone think he was a serious person 4 years ago when this team worked him out?

It’s not worth litigating the years where wright was one of the worst executives in basketball I guess. He seems like he’s doing better.

 

[poopbox]

it absolutely is

It might be for some normal people but it most certainly is not for a professional athlete in the public eye. A professional athlete has to have insurance cause league insurance does not cover eveything, lawyers cause league lawyers do not cover everything, dietician cause you need to eat like a professional athlete and dieticians who specialize in that are not cheap, trainers cause you need to train like a professional athlete and those types of trainers are not cheap.

Just those 4 things, insurance, lawyers, dieticians, and trainers, can cost you a million or more a year. Most professional athletes are spending millions of dollars just to maintain and enhance what it physically takes to be a professional athlete.

 

[Raven_]

See that’s what I mean lol

What do people want?

I'll answer to this question, that has no answer:
- be the defensive leader on the perimeter (playing 40mins per game)
- drive towards the rim when defensive schemes result in him having the ball and every player being guarded
- rebound well

 

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1990173544743829540

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[RC_Drunkford]

I'm buying tbh. Comes in cold and hit the first shot attempt from 3 multiple times now. There's clearly been improvement. Doesn't mean he's a volume 3-point shooter now, but the work he put in has translated somewhat.

 

[LeBowen]

I'm buying tbh. Comes in cold and hit the first shot attempt from 3 multiple times now. There's clearly been improvement. Doesn't mean he's a volume 3-point shooter now, but the work he put in has translated somewhat.

All we need him is to not be dared to shoot. For defenses to have some kind of reaction when he gets the ball wide open on the perimeter.
Castle is our only legit defender and considering all the big wings in the West, we'll need Jeremy's defense as long as he's not a huge negative on offense.

 

[scott]

I'm buying tbh. Comes in cold and hit the first shot attempt from 3 multiple times now. There's clearly been improvement. Doesn't mean he's a volume 3-point shooter now, but the work he put in has translated somewhat.

He’s doing enough (so far) to force teams to not leave him completely unguarded in the corner… and that’s significant, tbh.

 

[ace3g]

Anyone have video of his 2nd three tonight?

** I don't think anyone of sound state of mind said he would be a volume 3 point shooter.

 

[bozhemoi]

There's barely any hitch to his shot now.

 

[mo7888]

It just looks much smoother... it gives me hope...

 

[jeebus]

There's barely any hitch to his shot now.

Maybe the one time where an off season hype video actually proved to be true? And also maybe getting some of the Justin Herbert/Madison Beer effect

 

[ace3g]

 

[timtonymanu]

Good for him. More of this and less 1 point, 1 rebound games.

 

[CGD]

It just looks much smoother... it gives me hope...

How’s the rotation? Is the sidewinder gone? That shit was nasty when I saw it live a few years back.

 

[mo7888]

How’s the rotation? Is the sidewinder gone? That shit was nasty when I saw it live a few years back.

I didn't see any of the sidewinder in there tonight...

 

[ginobilized]

No hitch, hesitation nor side spin. Sean even complimented the rotation on his first 3. I'm impressed, so far.
I'm also happy to be wrong about his shooting if this holds up.

 

[dastexan]

Gotta give him credit, has put in significant work on his jumper.

Let's hope this trajectory continues, as he could be a truly vital component of this rotation.