Jeremy Sochan Brings Needed Versatility to Knicks Rotation

New York was lacking true power forwards; someone capable of banging with bigger bodies on the interior. Sochan definitely fills that gap, measuring 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds. He isn’t relegated to only defending big men, possessing the athleticism and versatility to defend every position on the court.

That is the biggest strength that he will bring to the Knicks. There isn’t a position in the court he can’t defend at a high level. When he was actually in the Spurs’ rotation last season, he was stifling guards, wings and big men alike with his suffocating defense, as shared by Stat Defender on X.

Sochan won’t offer much of an impact offensively, given his lack of shooting ability. But he can provide value with his playmaking and ball-handling from the frontcourt, something New York did need more of.

He has also been an above-average offensive rebounder throughout his career, giving Brown another reliable source of production in that regard, on the nights Mitchell Robinson isn’t in the lineup.

The versatility that he shows defensively certainly carries over to the offensive side of the court as well. During his career with San Antonio, he filled several different roles for the team.

Looking to see what his ceiling truly was, Sochan was deployed as the team’s point guard and lead playmaker. During the 2023-24 campaign, per Cleaning The Glass, he played almost exclusively in the backcourt; 1% of his 2,179 minutes all season came at small forward.

The next season, he was used only as a frontcourt player. All of his minutes were logged at small forward, power forward and center with a 33/45/22 split percentage-wise.

This season, he has been mostly out of the rotation. Getting released and landing with a contending team will provide him a chance to improve his stock heading into free agency this summer.

How does Jeremy Sochan fit in the Knicks rotation?

How much of an opportunity will he have to play with the Knicks? There should be minutes available, but it will almost certainly be in a situational role.

When healthy, New York has a locked-in group of Jalen Brunson, Alvarado, McBride, Landry Shamet, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns and Robinson.

Alas, the team isn’t currently healthy with McBride recovering from surgery and Anunoby dealing with a toenail avulsion. That has Jordan Clarkson back in the rotation and rookie Mohamed Diawara receiving minutes, too.

Diawara is earning the coaching staff’s trust with his level of play and is likely the closest to being the 10th player in the rotation when healthy. Sochan will be in that mix, along with Clarkson, situationally.

It will depend on what is needed on a given night. If the Knicks need to generate some stops against a tough assignment, Sochan will be called upon. Should the offense not be clicking and a spark be needed, Clarkson will have his number called.

The former Spurs lottery pick adds useful depth to the roster, someone that Brown can trust in certain situations right off the bat, especially on nights when they are shorthanded.