Knicks Expected to Sign Spurs Forward off Waivers

The New York Knicks have made their move in the buyout market, picking up one of the bigger names of any noteworthy players who were expected to be released in Jeremy Sochan of the San Antonio Spurs.

ESPN's Shams Charania announced that the former top prospect is expected to sign with New York upon clearing waivers in the coming days. He had his pick of the litter upon agreeing on a departure with the team that once snagged him ninth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, and he'll add even more defense to a Knicks team that's looking to go all-in on that end of the floor.

Sochan, 22, will sign a rest of season deal and gives the Knicks a young, athletic wing with versatility and size. 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. https://t.co/8EEGxAjsWg
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 12, 2026

Sochan's defense has always been at least functional, as a healthy share of his intrigue as a prospect stemmed from his versatility and switchability at 6'8, but his lack of a refined offensive game ended up holding him back as a Spur. It didn't help that each of San Antonio's last three picks all landed in the top-five of each respective draft, with Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper minimizing Sochan's importance in the franchise's long-term plan.

He was without an extension midway through his fourth big-league season, more stapled to the bench than ever in averaging career-lows in points (4.1), field goal percentage (47.5%) and minutes (12.7) per night, and hasn't appeared in 10 of the team's last 12 outings. When no trade materialized at the deadline, he's starting fresh across conferences with another contender in New York.

😏 pic.twitter.com/77kUsY4HCc
— Jeremy Sochan (@JeremySochan) February 12, 2026

Sochan's Fit in New York

The Knicks had one open roster spot remaining following their own deadline extravaganza, giving Sochan room to join on a one-year veteran's minimum deal.

Consider this another way in which the Guerschon Yabusele trade has benefitted all involved parties; thanks to the money they shed in offloading the forward to the Chicago Bulls, they not only had the space to trade for Jose Alvarado, but now don't need to make a corresponding move in inviting Sochan aboard the ship.

The Knicks have been short on wing depth outside of their usually-available starters in Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, and they lucked into Mohamed Diawara looking so sharp as quickly as he has in transitioning the rookie into a rotational regular. Sochan lacks that same shooting and ball-handling upside, but he's an accomplished hustler who'll help consolidate the lineups alongside less-defensively inclined stars in Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

New York Knicks Center Karl-Anthony Towns and Forward Jeremy Sochan — Mar 19, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks forward Karl-Anthony Towns (32) posts up on San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) during the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The Knicks' other midseason acquisition, Alvarado, made an immediate impact with his newest club in recording 26 points on eight made 3-pointers to couple with his five steals, making him the first bench player to ever record such a statline. He represents a Knicks organization that's looking to go all-in on defense, something that they've gotten noticeably better at over the last month, and a reinvigorated Sochan could realistically help push that initiative forward in a fresh start.

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!