The Knicks seem to be in no hurry to fill out the last couple spots of their roster. Instead of unnecessarily rushing to sign or trade for a player, they’ve patiently awaited teams to make their last moves to see what options could open up for them in the near-future.
That’s strategy’s thus far made sense. But one of their options to occupy the third-string center position could now be scooped up soon.
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel is reporting (h/t Heavy) the Timberwolves view Jeremy Sochan as a potential option for the end of their own bench and there’s “rumblings” connecting the two parties.
In an offseason where the center situation has already faced a few bumps, this is suddenly another that could change things for New York.
Knicks now need to move quickly if they want Jeremy Sochan back
The Knicks obviously don’t view Sochan as irreplaceable. They would have re-signed him a long time ago if they felt strongly about keeping him. But if they still view him as a potential option, the Timberwolves’ reported interest in Sochan could definitely push the timeline forward.
We are, after all, at the point of the offseason where teams and players want to start finalizing their plans for the start of the season.
While Sochan hasn’t been a consistent rotation player for a while now, he’s still a very young player that has shown plenty of defensive promise. Sochan’s offense (especially his lack of shooting) leaves a lot to be desired. He’s an unwilling shooter. And even when he does shoot, it rarely goes in.
But on a Timberwolves team with Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, and Jaden McDaniels, he’ll have very limited offensive responsibilities. His lack of gravity could cause some spacing issues. But what Minnesota needs right now is defensive versatility to plug in next to Rudy Gobert and the core trio of perimeter starters. Sochan can provide that.
Sochan barely played in New York last campaign. And chances are, he wouldn’t play much for them again, barring major injuries. But maybe his upside still intrigues them more than options like Nick Richards and Kelly Olynyk do. If that’s the case, they may not have the luxury of continuing to wait out for better options anymore. The Timberwolves may have inadvertently put the Knicks on the clock.
Do the Knicks feel the urgency and panic? Do they make a move they’ll end up regretting? The gut answer is no. Leon Rose has had a plan throughout his entire tenure in New York. Even when things haven’t gone fully according to plan, Rose has managed to pivot and get back on track—or at least come up with a new pivot.
And there’s absolutely no reason to believe that he’ll change that now. Especially for Sochan. If we are wrong in the how the Knicks value Sochan, though, they may be running out of time with the Timberwolves looking like a suitor.
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