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New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown during a game against the Miami Heat in December 2025
The New York Knicks navigated the trade deadline with measured intent, moving on from Guerschon Yabusele and bringing in pesky guard Jose Alvarado, adding backcourt depth while maintaining financial flexibility.
It was a practical deadline for New York, but it may not be the final move. With an open roster spot and the buyout market accelerating over the past week, the Knicks remain positioned to add further reinforcements.
Several notable names have surfaced on the buyout circuit, including Mike Conley Jr., Lonzo Ball, Haywood Highsmith, and Cam Thomas.
Thomas, widely viewed as the most dynamic scorer available, has since signed with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Yet while one option has come off the board, another intriguing name has suddenly become available.
New York Knicks Trade Target Hits Buyout Market
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported that the San Antonio Spurs and fourth-year forward Jeremy Sochan have agreed to a contract release.
Sochan now becomes a free agent, with Charania reporting that “Sochan is expected to decide among multiple interested teams.”
The Knicks could very well be among those teams.
According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, New York explored a deal for Sochan at the trade deadline as it worked to move Yabusele’s contract, which had become a pressing priority.
“There was also trade chatter of a Yabusele and Dadiet package for Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, but San Antonio was not willing to take on Yabusele’s $5.78 million player option for next season, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote.
Instead, the Knicks ultimately sent Yabusele to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Dalen Terry, who was later flipped to land Alvarado.
Pacome Dadiet remained in New York and has since shown encouraging signs in the G League.
Now, circumstances have shifted.
Buyout Market Reopens Door for Knicks
As Sochan officially hit the buyout market, Scotto once again connected the Knicks to the 22-year-old, with the Phoenix Suns emerging as potential competition.
“The Knicks and Suns were among the teams who had trade discussions surrounding former Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan prior to the trade deadline, as I previously reported on HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote on X. “Something to keep in mind as he becomes a free agent now and both teams have open roster spots.”
Through 28 games this season, Sochan is averaging 4.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 12.8 minutes per game while shooting 59.4% from the field.
Although he had been a consistent rotation presence in prior seasons, Sochan fell out of favor in San Antonio’s lineup in 2025-26.
His departure had been speculated for weeks, with many expecting a move at the deadline.
NBA insider Marc Stein previously reported that the Spurs granted Sochan’s representatives permission to explore trade options ahead of the deadline. When no deal materialized, his eventual release followed.
Selected ninth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, the 6-foot-8 forward earned All-Rookie Second Team honors in 2022-23 and was widely projected as a dependable long-term rotation piece.
Across 212 career games, Sochan has averaged 10.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, along with just under one steal per game, while shooting 46.8% from the field and 28.7% from three-point range.
Still only 22, he retains considerable two-way upside. His defensive versatility remains his calling card, capable of guarding multiple positions across the wing and frontcourt.
For a Knicks team seeking depth and flexibility ahead of a late-season push, Sochan now represents a low-risk, high-reward opportunity worth revisiting, one that could potentially lead to a longer-term commitment.
Matt Evans is a sports journalist from the United Kingdom, based in Paris, with over a decade of experience covering the NBA and wider global sport. More about Matt Evans
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