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Jeremy Sochan hasn't had a strong start with the New York Knicks, and Mike Brown's recent rotation decision points to the struggles growing.
The New York Knicks made a concerted effort over the past month to put together a roster that has more depth, specifically by trading for Jose Alvarado at the deadline, and adding Jeremy Sochan as a free agent after being waived by the San Antonio Spurs.
While Alvarado has quickly fit in to theKnicks’ lineup as a backup point guard for Jalen Brunson while Miles McBride is out, ithasn’t been the same story for Sochan, who played in just five minutes in NewYork’s Tuesday night loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Though Sochan is still new on the scene, having him in head coach MikeBrown’s rotation to add to theteam’s wing depth will be crucial for a playoff run, and despite things not going as great as he would have hoped, the 22-year-old believes there is still time to turn things around.
Speaking with Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, Sochan was confident that he could turn things around after a rocky start to his tenure with the Knicks.
JeremySochan’s Quotes On Early Struggles With Knicks
In three games with New York, Sochan has played a combined 20 minutes and scored just two total points. While the wing is more known for his defensive prowess, being able to impact the offensive side of the ball is just as important on this current Knicks team. Still, he thinks his start is just a bump in the road.
“It’s a process.It’s my fourth game here,”Sochan told Bondy. “Sowe’ll figure it out.We’ll be good.”
The fourth-year forward,after spending the first stretch of his career with the Spurs before being phased out of the rotation, believes there will be a learning curve as he figures out how to fit inBrown’s system, as well as playing alongside stars Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, along with the other top-tier wings of Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby.
“It’s my first time adjusting to a different dynamic,”he said. “Soit’s going to take some time to figure out and, of course, Ihaven’t been in a lot of game shape. So altogether there are going to [be] ups and downs. ButI’m blessed and excited to be in this situation. And I truly believe I can add to this team.”
Sochan, who previously averaged at least 11 points per game in the first three years of his NBA career, also said that once he figures out the tendencies of his new teammates, becoming a more impactful player with the Knicks will become easier.
“I thinkit’s just learning how everyone wants to play. The vibe on the team and all those sorts of things,”Sochan added. “And I thinkit’s pretty easy for me to learn the playbook. But nowit’s learningeverybody’s tendencies. What they like and what [they]don’t like.”
Mike Brown, Knicks Face Difficult Rotation Decision
Though Sochan believeshe’ll eventually figure things out, his spot, albeit a limited one at the moment,isn’t safe for the rest of the year. Over the past month, rookie forward Mohamed Diawara has ramped up his play and could be a top candidate to become NewYork’s next backup wing in the rotation.
Writing for Bleacher Report, Dan Favale named Diawara as one player who deserves more minutes than he is currently getting, citing theFrenchman’s early shooting prowess as a main factor.
“Mohamed Diawara looked like a viable reserve wing entering the All-Star break—a huge deal for a New York Knicks team thatdoesn’t technically have any,”he wrote. “Favoring the more experienced Sochan is tempting, but could also be a mistake. While he is more of a ball-mover and has real one-on-one defensive chops, Diawara has proven to be the more reliable as a three-point shooter.”
Diawara is shooting 40.3% from three-point range this season and has the size to develop into a strong defender with further development. But as shooting is a top priority for this Knicks team, having Diawara on the court over Sochan likely gives Brown a more reliable offensive option, despite his need for growth on the other side of the court.
“Heisn’t going to deliver shutdown possessions againstJaylen Brown every night, but he can be moved around the positional spectrum just as easily,”Favale added. “Given how defenses still guardJosh Hart and the importance of a non-spacer likeMitchell Robinson, Diawara should be treated as the higher priority over Sochan so long ashe’s the more dependable three-point threat.”
New York faces a tough decision heading into the most important stretch of the regular season. Sochan has the experience, but at this point, Diawara might have the greater upside. The backup wing battle will be an interesting one to watch in the final six weeks of the regular season.