Training camp battles are usually decided in the margins, and Jeremy Sochan made his first preseason swing count.
In Portland’s 123-118 win over the Golden State Warriors, the Trail Blazers got just nine minutes from Sochan - and he turned that short window into a strong argument for the final roster spot. He finished with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting and went 2-of-2 from deep.
That kind of shooting line is enough to turn heads, even if the bigger picture still matters. Sochan’s career mark from three sits at 28.6 percent, so nobody is going to crown him a floor spacer off one preseason burst. But the performance still mattered because it showed what Portland is trying to uncover: a player with real upside who can help right away.
The Blazers are sorting through three non-guaranteed contracts before the season starts: Vit Krejci, Micah Potter, and Sochan. Krejci looks like a near certainty after Portland gave up draft capital to get him at last year’s trade deadline. Potter has also started preseason well and gives the team the stretch-four look it was missing a year ago.
Sochan is the one sitting closest to the edge.
Portland could keep all three if it wants, even if that leaves the wing rotation thinner than ideal. The team is comfortable with its current wing group, and Jrue Holiday is expected to spend more time at forward this season, which adds another layer of flexibility.
What makes Sochan especially interesting is the mix of present-day usefulness and long-term potential. He’s 23, he was a top-ten pick by the San Antonio Spurs in 2022, and he already flashes the kind of defensive impact that fits Portland’s identity. For a roster spot at the back end of the bench, that combination is hard to ignore.
His next chance to keep pushing comes Monday, October 12 against the London Lions. Even if the shot comes back to earth, Sochan has already done enough to make this a real decision for Portland.
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Yang Hansen Still Has One Big Hurdle In Portlands Rotation
Yang Hansens first year with the Trail Blazers left him still searching for a foothold in the rotation, a familiar place for a young big man trying to earn trust in the frontcourt. The 16th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft flashed enough promise to stay on the radar, but his role heading into the 2026-27 season is still very much unsettled as Portland sorts through its depth inside.
A recent preseason outing offered another small step without changing the larger picture, and that is where the intrigue sits for the Blazers. Hansens development will matter, but so will the competition for minutes around him, and Portlands willingness to carve out a real role for him may depend on how quickly he can separate himself in a crowded front line. [Read more 🡒]