The Knicks may have to adjust to life without one of their strangest little advantages from last season.
Jeremy Sochan, who spent part of the year with New York after the Spurs waived him following the trade deadline, has signed a non-guaranteed deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. He’ll go to training camp and try to win a roster spot, and if he does stick, the Knicks will have to deal with a player who knows a little something about how they operate.
That mattered once already. When New York matched up with San Antonio in the postseason, Sochan told reporters he planned to use his familiarity with the other side to his advantage. He said the best way to defend 7-foot-5 superstar Victor Wembanyama was to hit him with constant physicality, arguing that approach would make Wembanyama take plays off.
For the Knicks, though, Sochan’s value wasn’t limited to what he knew on the floor. He also became part of the team’s bench personality alongside Tyler Kolek. The two developed a quick friendship, gave fans plenty of viral moments - whether people realized it was them or not - and kept the laughs coming throughout the rest of the season.
Now New York may be losing at least half of that comedic pairing, but rookie Tyler Nickel could help fill the gap. The Vanderbilt sharpshooter already caught attention at the draft combine with a curveball answer to a media question, and he turned enough heads at Summer League to make the front office take notice.
There’s also a roster wrinkle here. The Knicks are the only team in the NBA without a single player signed to a two-way deal, which has led to plenty of speculation that something is brewing. A third-string center still looks like a major need, and that makes it seem unlikely that either rookie will end up with a full-time roster spot right away.
New York could open up room by moving Kolek in a deal for center depth, but Nickel would still be without a contract. A two-way deal wouldn’t keep him with the Knicks for the entire regular season, though it would likely give him chances to be around the NBA team and, in time, bring a little of the bench energy Sochan provided.
And as far as anyone knows, Nickel doesn’t bring the same kind of inside information on opponents. Still, he may be able to replace some of what Sochan offered away from the action - the part that probably mattered more than it got credit for as New York worked through its midseason slump.
In Other News...
Knicks May Be Running Out Of Time On A Roster Option
The Knicks still have a few roster questions hanging over the back end of the lineup, and Jeremy Sochan has become one of the more interesting ones. The young forward-center has drawn attention for what he can do on defense, even if his offensive role remains limited, which is part of why he has surfaced as a possible fit for New Yorks third-string center spot.
Minnesotas reported interest now adds a little urgency to the picture, since the Knicks have not re-signed Sochan and may not want to let the conversation linger too long. For a team trying to shore up depth without overcommitting, the decision is less about splash and more about timing, and the longer this drags on, the more it starts to feel like a race against another teams patience. [Read more 🡒]
Shaqs Knicks Title Take Will Have Fans Arguing All Day
Shaquille ONeal has never been shy about a hot take, and his latest Knicks conversation is already the kind that will keep New York fans talking. On a recent podcast episode, ONeal looked back at the Knicks run to the championship and suggested that luck had a hand in the outcome, pointing to the kind of late-game breaks and wild swings that defined the playoff stretch.
He highlighted OG Anunobys tip-in and the Knicks rally from a 29-point hole as examples of how thin the margin was on the way to the title, even while giving Jalen Brunson his due for playing through injury and carrying so much of the load. ONeal even drew a comparison between Brunsons demeanor and Kobe Bryants, which only added another layer to a discussion that figures to linger in New York for a while. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face A Tricky Center Decision Before A Bigger Move Opens Up
The Knicks are still piecing together the end of their roster, and the center spot remains one of the more interesting decisions left on the board. One name that fits the discussion is Kelly Olynyk, whose value has always been tied more to what he can do with the ball than what he can stop on the other end. His shooting and passing would give New York another layer of offensive depth, which matters for a team that has tried to keep its frontcourt options flexible.
Olynyk also comes with some familiar tradeoffs, including age and defense, but there is a practical angle here beyond the skill set. He spent time in San Antonio recently, so there is at least some familiarity with the Spurs system as the Knicks weigh whether he is the right fit for a third-string role. With a bigger move still potentially waiting in the wings, this is exactly the kind of small but meaningful roster call that can shape the next step. [Read more 🡒]