Trail Blazers Waive Jeremy Sochan Before Regular Season

The Portland Trail Blazers waived forward Jeremy Sochan on Saturday, ending the former lottery pick’s brief stint with the franchise before the regular season begins. Portland officially announced the move Oct. 17 after Sochan appeared in all four preseason games. He averaged 6.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 10-for-16 from the field and 4-for-5 from three-point range.

The decision is notable because Sochan is still only 23 and was selected ninth overall by San Antonio in the 2022 NBA Draft. After spending more than three seasons with the Spurs, he joined New York during the 2025-26 season and was part of the Knicks’ championship roster before signing a non-guaranteed deal with Portland in August. Despite an efficient preseason, the Trail Blazers chose roster flexibility instead of carrying him into opening night.

Portland now has 17 players on its roster, including three two-way players, which leaves one standard roster spot available. That makes the move more interesting than a routine final cut: the Blazers did not simply replace Sochan with another player immediately. For Sochan, his age, defensive versatility and 228 games of NBA experience should make him one of the more recognizable names available on the waiver market as teams finalize their opening-night rosters.