The 2026 NBA trade deadline was rather quiet for the San Antonio Spurs, as the only real report that followed them through trade season was that they were looking to move Jeremy Sochan. After being a staple in the team's rotation during the first three seasons of his career, this season Sochan appeared in just 28 games, averaging less than 15 minutes per game in those appearances.
And after struggling to find a trade and watching the deadline pass, Sochan was released by the Spurs on Wednesday.
The former ninth overall pick now has the chance to pick the situation he feels is best for him. Sochan is still just 22 years old, has no long-term salary commitment, and has shown potential as a really solid rolling defensive four during his first three seasons with the Spurs. Making him the type of player I've been preaching the New Orleans Pelicans acquire, young, talented, and with upside to grow into something special.
That being said, if the Pelicans were to land Sochan as a free agent over the next several days, it would be a disaster, as he lacks one skill the Pelicans need desperately.
Sochan represents the skill set that is already dooming the Pels
Sure, if signed, Sochan would instantly be the Pelicans' best defender outside of Herb Jones. As he can hold his own on the perimeter and is a very solid secondary/weakside rim protector, which is reflected in his 1.5 defensive win share average across last season and the season prior. But on the offensive end, his inability to be an effective floor spacer would just make him another negative on a team in dire need of shooting.
Sochan's three-point shooting has always been his biggest downfall—over the four years he's been in the league, his three-point percentage has topped out at 30.8 percent. And while some other bottom feeders may be able to convince themselves they can develop that trait, the Pelicans need shooting now, not in two years' time.
New Orleans makes the fourth fewest in three-pointers per game this season, and adding Sochan to that mix would likely make things worse.
On top of that, the Pelicans just drafted two rookies in the 2025 NBA Draft who are not shooting threats at this point in their careers: Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears. So, surrounding them with another non-shooting threat would stunt their development, as both rookies thrive most when operating in a spaced-out offense.
I truly believe that, in the right situation, Sochan can prove why he was a lottery pick and still develop into a really high-level complementary player. However, the place for him to do that isn't New Orleans. The team's lack of shooting and Sochan's continued struggle to become a floor spacer would make things a disaster for both sides.