Why Jeremy Sochan Isn’t the Right Fit for the Pelicans-At Least Not Right Now
The San Antonio Spurs didn’t make much noise at this year’s trade deadline, but one name that did surface in the rumor mill was Jeremy Sochan. Once a key piece in San Antonio’s rotation, Sochan’s role shrank significantly this season-just 28 appearances and fewer than 15 minutes per game. And now, after failing to find a trade partner, the Spurs have officially moved on, releasing the 22-year-old forward.
This move opens the door for Sochan to choose his next destination, and on paper, he checks a lot of boxes for teams looking to invest in young, versatile talent. He’s still just 22, carries no long-term salary baggage, and has already shown flashes of being a high-level defender with the ability to guard multiple positions and provide weakside rim protection. That’s a rare skill set, and it’s why some teams-especially those in the middle of a rebuild or trying to add defensive toughness-should be paying attention.
But while Sochan has intriguing upside, he’s not a clean fit for every roster. And for the New Orleans Pelicans, who are trying to balance their current playoff push with long-term development, the timing and fit just aren’t right.
Let’s be clear: defensively, Sochan would instantly become one of the Pelicans’ most impactful players outside of Herb Jones. His ability to switch onto guards, hold his own in isolation, and disrupt plays as a help-side defender is legit.
Over the past two seasons, he’s averaged 1.5 defensive win shares-a stat that reflects his ability to impact the game on that end of the floor. That’s not easy to find in a player his age.
But then there’s the other side of the ball.
The Pelicans’ biggest issue right now isn’t defense-it’s shooting. They rank near the bottom of the league in made threes per game, and that lack of spacing is already putting a ceiling on what this offense can be.
Adding Sochan, who has struggled mightily as a shooter since entering the league, would only compound that problem. Through four seasons, his best mark from beyond the arc is just 30.8%.
That’s not the kind of shooting profile a team like New Orleans can afford to take a flyer on-not when they’re trying to build around a core that needs room to operate.
And it’s not just about this season. The Pelicans just brought in two rookies-Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears-who, while talented, aren’t knockdown shooters either.
Both players thrive when the floor is spaced and they can attack with room to maneuver. Surrounding them with another non-shooter like Sochan could slow their development and clog up the offense even further.
That’s not to say Sochan can’t grow into a more complete offensive player. He’s still young, still moldable, and there’s a world where he figures out how to stretch the floor and become a reliable two-way contributor.
But New Orleans isn’t in a position to wait for that evolution. They need shooting now.
They need spacing now. And unfortunately, Sochan just doesn’t offer that-not yet.
There’s a place in this league where Sochan can thrive. A team with patience, a strong player development system, and a clear defensive identity could help him unlock the next phase of his game. But for the Pelicans, who are trying to take the next step in the Western Conference and maximize the talent they’ve already assembled, this just isn’t the right move.
Sochan’s journey isn’t over-not by a long shot. But if New Orleans is serious about fixing its spacing issues and building an offense that can keep up in today’s NBA, they’ll have to pass on this one.