It’s been just a little over four months since the New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years, and that title run still guarantees every player on the 2025-26 roster a place in franchise history.
But as the regular season gets closer and teams keep trimming rosters, three members of that championship group are now on the outside looking in: Trey Jemison III, Dillon Jones, and Jeremy Sochan.
None of the three had a major hand in the Knicks’ title push. Jemison and Jones were both on two-way deals and did not appear in last season’s playoffs. Sochan arrived in New York in mid-February after being waived by the San Antonio Spurs.
As things stand, all three are without an NBA home. Jones and Sochan each landed training camp deals this offseason - Jones with the Philadelphia 76ers and Sochan with the Portland Trail Blazers - but both were waived on Saturday.
Jemison’s path was similar. He signed a two-way deal with the Toronto Raptors in early August, then got waived on Wednesday. He played in only one preseason game for Toronto and reportedly dealt with an undisclosed hand injury.
Altogether, the three former Knicks combined for just 36 regular-season games with New York last season. Sochan was the only one to see playoff action, and even then his role was tiny: eight appearances, 26 total minutes, and seven made shots on nine attempts in the postseason.
Still, he ended up on the floor for the final possession of Game 5 of the NBA Finals, when he contested Victor Wembanyama’s desperate 3-point try.
Some fans also believe Sochan offered intel on Wembanyama and the Spurs during the Finals. San Antonio took Sochan with the ninth pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and the Spurs were the only NBA team he had played for before he was waived and joined New York.
With the season about to begin, it’s unknown whether any of the three will latch on with another NBA team. Jones, at least, could have a case for another two-way opportunity - and maybe a little good fortune, too.
He’s been on a two-way contract with the last two champions, including the 2024-25 Oklahoma City Thunder. If not, the G League may be the next stop as they wait for another shot.
In Other News...
Knicks Bench Has One Change Fans Can't Ignore This Season
The Knicks are heading into a season unlike any other, with their first championship banner in 53 years set to go up and most of the title group back in place. The biggest change to the supporting cast comes from the bench, where Mitchell Robinson is gone after signing with the Boston Celtics and Andre Drummond has been brought in to fill that role.
Around him, the familiar second unit look remains mostly intact, with Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado and Jordan Clarkson all returning to give the Knicks the same kind of guard depth that helped define last seasons run. Even so, the bench still has a layer of uncertainty beneath the surface, since players like Miles McBride could be staring at free agency next summer, leaving New York with one eye on the present and another on what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Suddenly Have A Josh Hart Concern They Can't Ignore
Josh Hart is heading into the new season with more than the usual opening-night nerves. The Knicks wing is dealing with a lingering finger injury, and while the team is still sorting out the full extent of the issue, it is serious enough to hang over his availability as the regular season begins. He also sat out the preseason finale with an ankle injury, adding another layer of uncertainty to a player whose energy and durability have long been central to what New York wants to do.
Coach Mike Brown does not believe the ankle will keep Hart from being ready for the opener, but the bigger picture is still unsettled. Harts status for the first game is being monitored in the days leading up to it, and the finger situation gives the Knicks a real reason to be cautious. For a team that leans heavily on Harts all-around impact, this is the kind of early-season concern that cant be brushed aside, even before the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Title Defense Already Hinges On One New Frontcourt Question
As the Knicks get set to open their championship defense against the 76ers in the 2026-27 season, the focus has already shifted to how their frontcourt will hold up around Karl-Anthony Towns. New additions Andre Drummond and James Wiseman give New York more size and rim protection on paper, and they also add to the kind of depth that helped define the teams rise a year ago.
LeBron James, now with Philadelphia, even singled out the Knicks mentality and offseason additions during a recent podcast with Steve Nash, a nod to how far the roster has come. But the real question for New York is less about respect from around the league and more about whether those new bigs can fit cleanly into a rotation that is now expected to carry championship standards from the start. [Read more 🡒]