The trade season has officially began, yet there has been a complete lack of trades so far this season. The Philadelphia 76ers could break the ice on that front, especially since they need some changes on the margins to bolster their case in the current campaign and fix up some problem areas that still subsist, especially at forward.
The front office has to be opportunistic, meaning that they will have to find some diamonds in the rough that can potentially end up being swing moves. In this regard, one name they should look out for is Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, who suddenly finds himself rotting in their bench as San Antonio has raced out to a blazing start.
Sochan, a lottery pick in 2022, has become an afterthought in San Antonio. He is simply not a good fit anymore for their nucleus, and fortunately for him, it seems like the Spurs have fully warmed up to the idea of trading him so they can get him to another ball club that can take advantage of his skills, which should still be a cause of intrigue for many.
The 76ers could trade for Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan
Sochan is averaging just 14.7 minutes per game this season, which is easily a career-low mark for him. It is clear that the Spurs no longer have him on their plans, and he is definitely someone worth taking on if you’re the 76ers.
While he has struggled on nearly all aspects due to his lack of court time, Sochan remains one of the league’s better defenders. He can guard one through five at his very best while also being a jack-of-all-trades of some sorts as a capable rebounder and tertiary playmaker.
His three-point shot will always be a question — there is no arguing that. But the 76ers are already accustomed to playing with non-floor spacers anyway, and having a still-promising player like Sochan, who will not be expensive to keep anyway, will be a good way to round out their roster for both the present and immediate future.
If the 76ers trade for him, they get to keep his Bird rights. That means they can go over the cap to retain him when he enters restricted free agency. Even better, the Spurs do not seem to be necessarily asking for a lot in return.
Jeremy Sochan is not going to be the end-all, be-all for the 76ers in any way, but the front office could do worse than trade for a player who still has value when put in a more ideal situation. Hopefully, the front office can at least poke at the idea.