The Knicks are targeting Jeremy Sochan, Jose Alvarado, and Yves Missi as they look to upgrade their bench prior to the trade deadline, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reports.
Each of those players could offer a different element to New York’s second unit.
Sochan, who has fallen out of the Spurs’ rotation, would give the Knicks another defensive-minded wing with size. He’s a subpar outside shooter but a solid rebounder. He’s making $7.1MM and will be eligible for restricted free agency at season’s end.
Alvarado is a scrappy point guard who could solve New York’s dilemma with finding a steady backup for Jalen Brunson. Alvarado is averaging 7.9 points and 3.2 assists in 21.9 minutes per game off the bench. He holds a $4.5MM option on his contract for next season.
Missi would give the Knicks a young big with the potential to be a starter in the future. He started 67 games last season for New Orleans as a rookie but his minutes have declined in his second season. He’s averaging 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 19.1 minutes per game. He’s still on his rookie deal and New Orleans already exercised the $3.5MM option on his contract for next season.
The Knicks have been discussing a few different avenues to move Guerschon Yabusele, who has been a free agent bust. He holds a $5.775MM option on his contract for next season. Both the Spurs and Pelicans have held talks with the Knicks regarding Yabusele, according to Siegel.
Siegel also lists Mavericks forward Naji Marshall as another New York trade target, but that may be more of a pipe dream. League interest is high on Marshall and the Mavericks have pinned a heavy price tag on any deal involving the much-improved forward.
The Knicks’ ability to make any deal is complicated by the salary cap issues. They are hard-capped and approximately $150K below the second tax apron, as Luke Adams notes in our latest Front Office post for subscribers.
New York can’t take in more salary than it sends out. The Knicks are also carrying 14 players on their standard roster, one below the limit, making it more difficult to send out more players than they’re bringing in due to roster requirements.
Surely the Knicks are targeting Giannis… I hear a trade story about him every day.
TARGET DANNY WOLF ALREADY!!
Trash can.
they should be targeting a location at the top of MSG to hang their Cup banner.
Who needs a ring with you can get something endorsed by the Bone Saw Dictators of the Middle East.
Naji should have been a NYK signing/acquisition years ago. So, it makes sense that Rose would chase him now, when he’s having a career year and we have no trade assets.
Alvardo is within their reach; I’m not sure about Missi. Yabu and Dadiet’s contracts and SRPs is only going to get you so much.
Sochan is no longer the prospect he was, and has to be considered a rehab project in free agency this offseason. He’s not a deadline target. Other than to get rid of Yabu of course.
Marshall makes no sense unless they’re sending out Josh Hart. Not sure what he does as a driver on a team with Brunson and KAT.
These writers are just trying to make their word count minimums.
If they can get rid of Yabu while bringing in Sochan, I think it’s worth it. I do agree that Sochan’s value has dropped, but his energy, secondary ball handling and rebounding is better than the Tub of Goo who can’t hit a shot and explained how each year in the NBA gets him a pension, benefits, etc.
Only thing that’s happened to Sochan is PT. Only 22 yrs old and still growing as a player. He would be a steal for Yabu. Diadet is a French player too with upside. I do both of them for Sochan.
I agree he is a good player but just in a bad spot. He can be energy. Problem is they have josh Hart. You can’t play both of them at the sametime
“The only thing that’s happened to Sochan is playing time”
Dude has played 5,000 NBA minutes LOL. He has a career 53 TS% as a PF. That’s why they stopped giving him charity minutes (and not coincidentally why the Spurs are 31-15).
He has some upside/fit with NY as a younger facsimile of Hart, but the odds of him becoming the same level of player are probably less than 10% ATP.
He’s a bench player. He gives when we needed. What if Hart goes down for 3-5 gms. Bench depth is what all contenders need. A guy like him doesn’t need touches or to get warm. He comes in and plays and impacts winning.
While getting rid of Yabu (Diadet would need to be included) for Sochan would be a good deal, IMO SAS is unlikely to do it (since Yabu is owed money next season). I certainly wouldn’t give up the WSH 2nd rounders for that deal. NYK will never have a bench if they keep trading their draft picks and cheap young players.
Sochan is worth future 2nd rds. Not Wash. not even sure they take Yabu just hoping. Diadet and two future 2nd rd picks could do it. Yabu is just salary match. Sochan is more a dream trade. Look into it please. To me most important is a D PF to help Towns. To play with him 18-20 mins.
Not sure you can label Naji a driver. Dude does absolutely everything at a high level on a basketball court. Anyways,im not sure Sochan belongs in the league. Defense largely out lawed and brings absolutely nothing on the offensive end. Sochan is looking at minimum contract for his first big boy contract. Probably with a team option.
I mean, he doesn’t shoot threes.
Guys who play D normally have a worse 3 point shooting percentage than those who don’t. Not like he isn’t capable, say January 2026 for example. You can never have enough hard working hustlers around scorers.
It’s not just his percentage. He doesn’t shoot them. He is as low volume as Josh Hart, and 5% worse for his career.
He’s averaging more points because players are out of the lineup. What does he do on a team with more talent?
Fit matters with role players. Or did we learn nothing from Yabusele?
Marshall does the vast majority of his damage inside of 15 feet. 67% of his FGA. Compare that to 53% for Josh Hart. What does he do when Brunson is on the court?
OK so I’ve established from this conversation you aren’t a between the lines guy and seriously doubt you’ve seen Marshall play more than a couple of games.
Brunson could use another ball handler who can initiate offense with size who can also play D. You gonna double off Brunson or let him shoot wide open 3’s.
Marshall is a far better all round player than anybody mentioned in this article. Sochan, Alvorado, Yabu etc.
And yet the reality is I’ve watched more Marshall than you have. I make content that covers all 30 teams and I’m regularly watching clips of players, comparing playtype data, etc.
(Most notably his career game last year which came against the Knicks): link to youtube.com
Marshall would mostly be a 2nd unit player who does a 2nd rate Brunson impression. Unfortunately, that player isn’t worth 9M to the Knicks (especially in a playoff series).
Marshall is a better overall player but he also makes more as a result. The Knicks don’t have a realistic path to acquire him without going into the 2nd apron, which makes it a non-starter. He is not nearly good enough to shave a year off this team’s window.
You’ve watched more Marshall than me….OK. odd statement, considering you haven’t a clue what I do or don’t watch.
Dudes been taking names of late and has had way more stretches than, Yabu, Jose and Sochan playing quality ball. Marshall would easily be the best pick up out of guys mentioned above as Knicks targets in this press release, not even close.
As a Boston fan, I most definitely don’t want Naji on the knicks. By all means go get Sochan or Jose.
Sochan wouldn’t be bad in a swap – have him chase down opponents best players for 10-12 minutes a game. He can handle the ball ala Anthony Mason so if he can jack up his rebounding he could have a Rodman like role…but a lesser talented one at that. Nonetheless, he’d be a better option than what is currently on the bench.
As for point guard McBride is perfectly fine as the backup. And TK needs more time on the court as well. Brunson is going to play his 36 minutes no matter what, so having McBride play it for 12 is no biggie. Or TK for that matter.
Sochan fancies himself the next Rodman, taking the number he wore with SA and dyeing his hair
He does. He’s not the talent Rodman was, but he’s better than what would be traded for him.
The issue with the Mason comp is teams run a lot more Pick & Roll than they did 30 years ago.
Unlike Naji Marshall, Sochan is pretty useless with the ball in his hands. Otherwise all the same caveats apply. He can’t shoot, and he isn’t efficient enough as a Rim Roller/ Finisher to merit minutes on a high level team. He’s basically Precious Achiuwa with worse defense but he can bring the ball up if all the PGs are hurt lol.
“The issue with the Mason comp is teams run a lot more Pick & Roll than they did 30 years ago.”
Do you have data to back this assertion up? As someone who has been watching basketball for 30 years, I would bet money that they ran more pick and roll in Mase’s day. What they do in today’s game is set screens, drive, and kick out. They do the pick and not the roll. Today’s game is dominated by drives and the three ball, not the pick and roll.
Listen, there are COUNTLESS ThinkingBasketball videos you could watch that explain the differences in eras.
The 90s were significantly heavier on Iso / Post play. Especially since there was no Back-to-the-Basket 5 second rule + Illegal Defense. There’s a reason why the Stockton/Malone PNR was so renowned for this era. They were the only team where it was a staple of their offense. This was literally the era where the Triangle (a non-PNR system) was the dominant offense. PNR didn’t become a heavy staple until the 00s (particularly as rules changes de-emphasized bigs).
Anthony Mason vs Larry Johnson (1997):
link to youtube.com
Do feel free to count the number of Post Ups & Isos vs PNRs by both teams.
Today’s games is dominated by drives and kickouts for threes… which are primarily set up by Pick & Rolls… which is also why there are like 20 All-Star caliber PGs today as opposed to like 5 back then.
Most teams are averaging 20-25 PNR possessions per game today.
Don’t need Missi with Hukporti here. This coach and GM are not looking at this team right. Thibs was grooming Hukporti to take over as backup. He knew Mitch was leaving and we couldn’t pay him. This coach doesn’t even use Hukporti. I wonder if they even are coaching him up now that Thibs is gone. Just a waste of time. Knicks don’t need Missi.
Only players N.O.has we should be interested are Bey, Looney, Avarado. The way Bey has been playing this year. I doubt they move him. You can still ask for him.
Adding Looney, Alvarado, Sochan would be major for Knicks. Imo Looney is a perfect fit next to Towns. All we would need is 20 mins a gm. He doesn’t even play in N.O.
Looney is past his prime and too expensive. Bey is a pipe dream with our assets. I’m not sold yet in Hukporti, although he still has a good chance of developing, so I like the Missi idea. At least we agree on Alvarado lol. If they’d take Yabusele, Dadiet and some seconds, I’d do it, but they’d probably ask for more.
We can’t do that deal and the Sochan deal, it’s one or the other unless we’re trading away better players. I’d rather go for Sochan, we could probably get him without picks or maybe just one second rounder.
Looney is 29 yrs old. Signed for 8 mill one yr with a TO next yr. Right in his prime. Doesn’t even play . So should be well rested. He is a playoff tested vet with 3 rings. He knows how to play next to Towns. Knicks don’t even have a legit 4. Right now.
Bey has been shopped by Pels. He’s a FA to be. So I’m sure they would at least listen. Knicks have plenty of assets to fix their bench.
McBride, Kolek, Mitch, Yabu, Diadet, McCullar, and picks. For right deals they are all available. Knicks are about now and next few yrs. Getting the bench right and helping Towns on D. Is a must for a playoff run.
Hukporti would be a Two-Way guy on any other team lol.
He’s a 58th pick playing 9 MPG with an 11 PER and this genius is saying forget about the First Round talent who started all of last season.
Missi has scored more points this MONTH than Hukporti has in his whole career. He’s also two years younger.
Dude wasn’t being groomed for anything besides Jericho Sims’ roster spot.
Al,
The Knicks could/can pay Mitch, it’s more a matter of whether his health track record makes it wise to do so.
As for Ariel, what are you talking about with how Brown uses vs. Thibs? He’s actually averaging more minutes per game this year than last. Also, how do you deem him Mitch’s replacement when he’s averaged 8.7 minutes a game over 50 career contests? What is it in those 410 minutes that you’ve seen that were all missing?
Mitch is not a fit with Towns. Hukporti can play the backup mins. Mitch is a FA to be. He is more valuable in a trade. Towns needs help on D. With Both playing it’s worse. Cause it takes Towns away from rebounding. And makes him play perimeter D. Which he can’t against smaller players. We don’t need Mitch with Towns here. It’s time to back your East all star center. That’s what Looney does.
I have been watching Hukporti since his draft.
His mins are the same. But his gm logs are different from yr to yr. The point is I am saying he is ready. You are saying you can’t see it. Lets agree to disagree ok. Towns plays 32-34 mins a game. Means we need 14-16 mins from Hukporti. He is more than capable of giving us that.
Mitch is more valuable in a trade. A big 4 who can play D, team D. Is what Towns needs. I been saying this since last year. Since the trade. You should look up Knick stats with Achiuwa and Towns playing at same time. Thats what we need.
He’s mainly just a Mitch hater. Hukporti has shown nothing to suggest he isn’t a 3rd/4th Center.
There isn’t another team in the league who would offer Hukporti a standard contract. He isn’t even Top 80 at the position.
I think Hukporti can help with the defense a lot. He came with no expectations because of an urgency to fill a roster spot, but he’s proved enough to keep in the roster, as practices might have shown; he would’ve waived otherwise long time ago.
In his first game ever, he played 10 minutes or less and had 4 points, 5 rebounds and 4! blocks. Actually he had really good stats jn limited minutes in his first 10 games or less in his career. Great rebounding numbers and can finish at the rim. Coming from a 58th overall pick from Germany with not much experience at the senior level, that was a lot and really encouraging. He can impact a game defensively and on the boards, for little stretches. He needs some more years to develop anyway, but he can give rotation minutes to anchor the defense in those. I believe he can be Mitch’s replacement in a couple of years. Mitch is unreliable for the playoffs because of injuries. I would trade for Looney, I would not trade for Alvarado, who could fit but I don’t like him nor think he has a big upside. By the way, Brown sat Clarkson and he is out of the rotation now
Hukporti actually CAN’T be waived or the Knicks hit the 2nd apron. His spot on the team has been guaranteed by his team’s razor thin roster margins.
That disappears next season when his minimum becomes the same cap hold as everyone else.
Sure, we can agree to disagree on Ariel. Al, I hope you’re right about him and I’m not.
I don’t know whether it’s Ariel or Mitch that works with KAT as I think it’s a KAT problem vs. whoever you put beside him.
greg1 —
I believe in him. Remember we are talking backup center mins. You have to forget about Mitch here. Cause we all know Mitch can give us starter mins at times. My only concern is does coach Brown trust Hukporti yet. Not about playing Hukporti and Towns together. It’s about finding a big 4 like Reid, Isaac, Wolf, Looney. Mitch is a FA to be. Knicks don’t need a 20 mill a yr backup center.
The whole point of trading for Towns. Is to ride him to a chip. That ain’t happening unless we add players that help him. I would start Looney with him. Hart strengthens our bench. And he can still play 30 mins, Looney 18-22 mins. Knicks are capped out. Mitch is our best trade asset. Time to cut the chord lol.
Love Sochan. He’s just in too loaded a Spurs team.
You need a starting defensive PF who can shoot ages from 27-30
Trade Guerschon Yabusele, Dadiet, Diawara, draft rights to TEN overseas guys and draft picks is what they can offer
Anyone got anybody?