The Trail Blazers have waived Jeremy Sochan, leaving the former lottery pick looking for another opportunity just before the regular season.
The team announced the move Saturday. Sochan was on a non-guaranteed camp contract and will become an unrestricted free agent Monday if he goes unclaimed.
The decision leaves the Blazers with 14 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals. They could have kept Sochan as a 15th standard player while remaining below the luxury-tax line, but appear prepared to leave that spot open.
Sochan, 23, was selected ninth overall by the Spurs in 2022. He averaged at least 11 points in each of his first three seasons while San Antonio tried him in several roles, including point guard and small-ball center.
His opportunities diminished last season. The Spurs released him after the trade deadline, and he joined the Knicks, appearing in 16 regular-season games and eight playoff contests during their championship run.
He played sparingly in New York, but finished the season with a title against his former team.
Across 228 regular-season appearances, Sochan has averaged 9.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists. His outside shooting has been a limitation, with a career 28.6 percent mark from beyond the arc.
Portland doesn’t have much established forward depth behind Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara, making this a notable cut. Sochan shot 62.5 percent from the field in four preseason appearances, but it wasn’t enough to secure a spot.
He’s still young and has substantial NBA experience. Whether another team can offer a role should become clearer once the final roster cuts are complete.
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