Knicks Beat 9 Teams to Land Former Lottery Pick: Report

The New York Knicks outmaneuvered a crowded market to secure a long-coveted addition.

Former San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan plans to sign with the Knicks after clearing waivers, his agent Deirunas Visockas of Gersh Sports told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Thursday. According to Charania, New York beat nine other teams to land the 22-year-old former lottery pick.

“Sochan will sign a rest-of-season deal and give the Knicks a young, athletic wing with versatility and size,” Charania reported. “He averaged 10.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 25.3 minutes across 212 games for the Spurs and was a two-time Rising Stars participant as a rookie and sophomore.”

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Knicks’ Deadline Maneuvers Create Winning Path

New York’s ability to win the waiver sweepstakes traces back to a series of deadline decisions designed to preserve flexibility. The Knicks were among several teams that explored Sochan’s availability before the deadline, according to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel.

Those early conversations included frameworks involving forward Guerschon Yabusele, but San Antonio declined to engage further due to Yabusele’s player option for the 2026–27 season. When talks stalled, New York pivoted.

The Knicks sent Yabusele to the Chicago Bulls for Dalen Terry, with Yabusele amending his contract to remove a $5.8 million player option to facilitate the deal. New York then rerouted Terry, along with two second-round picks and cash considerations, to the New Orleans Pelicans for Jose Alvarado.

That sequence proved decisive.

“Trades at the deadline saw New York go from $148,000 below the second apron to $1,148,358 below,” ESPN cap analyst Bobby Marks wrote on X. “The flexibility has NY with enough room to sign Sochan to the prorated veteran minimum and remain under.”

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Spurs Release Sochan After Trade Efforts Stall

Sochan had fallen out of San Antonio’s regular rotation by December and became a trade candidate well ahead of the deadline. NBA insider Marc Stein previously reported that the Spurs granted Sochan’s representatives permission to explore trade options, but no deal materialized.

San Antonio ultimately stood pat at the deadline—one of only three teams leaguewide not to make an in-season trade. With no clear path back into the rotation, the Spurs agreed to release Sochan on Wednesday, opening the door for New York and several other suitors.

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Former No. 9 Pick Gets Fresh Start in New York

Selected ninth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Sochan was initially viewed as a foundational piece of the Spurs’ rebuild. Over his first three seasons, he started 149 games and averaged 27.3 minutes per contest, producing 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

Defensively, Sochan earned early trust from longtime coach Gregg Popovich and later interim head coach Mitch Johnson thanks to his strength and ability to guard multiple positions.

Offensively, however, the fit was never seamless. Sochan has converted 28.7 percent of his career three-point attempts, and San Antonio frequently experimented with his role—deploying him at times as a point forward, small-ball center and defensive specialist. The versatility highlighted his adaptability, but also underscored uncertainty about how best to maximize his skill set.

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Knicks Add Low-Risk Upside for Playoff Push

Now in New York, Sochan joins a Knicks team firmly in win-now mode with postseason aspirations. His role remains undefined, but the appeal is clear: a 22-year-old former lottery pick with defensive versatility, size and experience—acquired without sacrificing long-term flexibility.

Beating nine other teams to land Sochan underscored how far the Knicks have come, transforming from a franchise that players avoided during years of lottery irrelevance into a stable, competitive destination players now choose.

Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo