The Warriors are ready to ramp up for the stretch run, but in their first game after the NBA All-Star break, the team will be without one of its stars — but reportedly will have its new acquisition — when it plays Thursday against the visiting Celtics.
Steph Curry, who became the oldest point guard to be voted as a starter in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday at age 37, won’t see the court after he returned to the team’s facility Wednesday night and told the training staff his “runner’s knee” prevented him from participating in a live scrimmage.
Atlanta Hawks forward Kristaps Porzingis shoots during warmups before an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Molly J. Smith) AP
“Just wasn’t where he needed to be,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters in San Francisco. “It’s unfortunate. We’ll have an update tomorrow after he goes through his time with the training staff.”
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Curry might undergo another MRI after consulting with Rick Celebrini, the Warriors’ lead medical decision-maker. If he doesn’t play, it would be Curry’s sixth consecutive game on the sidelines.
Curry might undergo another MRI after consulting with Rick Celebrini, the Warriors’ lead medical decision-maker. Jason Szenes for New York PostKristaps Porzingis, the Warriors’ high-profile addition who was acquired in a trade with the Hawks ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline, is expected to play Thursday against the Celtics. NBAE via Getty Images
Kristaps Porzingis, the Warriors’ high-profile addition who was acquired in a trade with the Hawks ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline, is expected to play Thursday against the Celtics. He was officially listed as questionable but told reporters he is “ready to go.”
Porzingis, 30, who was traded for guard Buddy Hield and forward Jonathan Kuminga, averaged 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.29 blocks in 24.3 minutes over 17 games (12 starts) this season with the Hawks.
Porzingis likely will come off the bench in his debut and play in short bursts and have relatively limited minutes, Kerr said.
Acuff scored 49 points on 16-of-27 shooting from the field for the Razorbacks, marking the second-most points scored in a game this season. Only Radford's Dennis Parker Jr., who scored 53 points on a 19-of-24 shooting performance on Dec. 14, 2025, against Coppin State, has topped Acuff's single-game scoring output this season.
The points are the most by an Arkansas player in SEC play.
Acuff, who played all 50 minutes in the game, scored 22 points in the first half for Arkansas. He then followed it up with 19 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer that sent the game to overtime with 11 seconds left in regulation. He scored eight more points in the second overtime period, including three free throws to give the Razorbacks a 113-112 lead with 1:31 left in the game.
Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard also scored 46 points in a 91-85 win for the Bulldogs over Auburn on Feb. 18.
Here's a look at Acuff's full stats against Alabama on Wednesday:
Darius Acuff Jr. points today
Here's Acuff's full stat line from Wednesday's double overtime loss to the Crimson Tide:
Acuff made history on Feb. 18 with not only the highest scoring output of any Arkansas freshman ever, but also the second-most points in a single game in Razorbacks history.
According to Arkansas' record book, Acuff's 49-point outburst trails only Rotnei Clark's 51-point performance vs. Alcorn State on Nov. 13, 2009. His 49 points are also the most by an SEC player since Clark's 51-point game, according to the SEC basketball media guide.
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Nick Martinelli scored 29 points to lead Northwestern to a 78-74 victory over Maryland on Wednesday night to end a five-game losing streak.
Northwestern (11-16, 3-13 Big Ten) led 35-34 at halftime and took control midway through the second half with a 16-3 run fueled by four 3-pointers from Jordan Clayton and Jake West. The surge turned a 50-44 deficit into a double-digit lead and gave the Wildcats control for the final 12 minutes.
Maryland (10-16, 3-12) stayed within striking distance behind Andre Mills, who scored 22 points in the first half and finished with a career-high 39. The Terrapins cut the deficit to three when Mills hit a 3-pointer with one second remaining, but Northwestern sealed the win with a free throw on the ensuing possession.
Clayton added a career-high 20 points for Northwestern on a career-best 6 of 7 from 3-point range. Angelo Ciaravino scored 16 points and the Wildcats made 12 of 21 from beyond the arc while assisting on 20 field goals.
Solomon Washington added 14 rebounds and 11 points for Maryland, which held a 36-24 rebounding advantage but committed 15 turnovers.
The game marked another close finish for Northwestern, which has played 26 games decided by two possessions or fewer since the start of last season, tied for the most among major conference programs.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant will miss at least two more weeks as he continues his recovery after spraining the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow on Jan. 21.
The Grizzlies announced Wednesday that the two-time All-Star is progressing in his rehabilitation but continues to feel discomfort. The Grizzlies said Morant will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Grizzlies officials also said guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will undergo surgery Thursday to address misalignment of his right pinky finger. A timeline on his recovery will be announced after the procedure.
Morant, 26, has appeared in just 20 games for the Grizzlies this season. He is averaging 19.5 points, 7.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds.
Although Morant’s name came up in plenty of trade rumors over the last month, the Grizzlies kept him at the trade deadline and instead sent two-time All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz.
Caldwell-Pope, 33, has averaged 8.4 points, 2.7 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 51 games.
HOUSTON (AP) — Marta Suarez scored 21 points with the help of 5-for-10 shooting from 3-point range and No. 12-ranked TCU throttled Houston 72-50 on Wednesday night.
Olivia Miles scored 18 points and reserve Veronica Sheffey 11 for TCU (24-4, 12-3 Big 12), which shot just 39% (26 of 66).
Kyndall Hunter scored 20 points for Houston (7-19, 1-14) which struggled shooting even more than TCU, finishing at 23% (14 of 60) including 13% (2 of 15) from beyond the 3-point line.
TK Pitts grabbed 11 rebounds for Houston.
TCU built an 11-6 lead through the midway the first quarter and never trailed. The Horned Frogs led 19-8 at the end of one and 41-19 at the half. Houston produced its best offensive quarter in the third shooting 6 of 16 but were still outscored 22-18.
The Horned Frogs are trying to become the first program in conference history to win two straight regular season championships within three seasons of finishing in last place.
Houston has lost five straight and 14 of its last 15.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Juke Harris scored 20 points to lead five Demon Deacons in double-figure scoring, and Wake Forest jumped out early and cruised past Clemson 85-77 on Wednesday night.
Clemson trailed by as many as 20 points midway through the first half and were down 13 at halftime. The Tigers opened the second half on a 9-1 surge to pull to 46-41 but didn’t get closer.
Sebastian Akins added 16 points for Wake Forest, which shot 55% (28 of 51) overall. Myles Colvin made four 3-pointers and scored all 14 of his points in the first half for the Demon Deacons. Mekhi Mason finished with 13 points and Tre’Von Spillers scored 10.
Wake Forest (14-12, 5-8 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won three consecutive games since ending a five-game skid. Clemson (20-7, 10-4) has lost three straight.
Jake Wahlin made three 3-pointers and scored 17 points to lead Clemson. Carter Welling and Ace Buckner added 13 points apiece.
Wake Forest took the lead for good about two minutes in and used a 22-8 opening run to help build a 45-32 halftime lead. The Demon Deacons had their largest lead, 45-25, with 2:27 left before halftime. Wahlin scored nine first-half points for Clemson.
Wake Forest shot 67% (18 of 27) overall in the first half and made 6 of 12 from long range.
Up next
Clemson hosts Florida State on Saturday.
Wake Forest is on the road Saturday to face Virginia Tech.
Oct 22, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and forward Dillon Brooks (3) during the second half against the Sacramento Kings at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Suns fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
It was a strong first half of the season for the Phoenix Suns. With many prediction outlets and pundits projecting them to be at the bottom of the standings, they won 32 games and sit in 7th in the Western Conference standings, and just three games out of third place. With the team having a surprising year, Suns Owner Mat Ishbia is making sure to call out people and organizations that had low expectations for the team heading into the season.
32 wins for the Suns and all before the All-Star break… think that puts us above your season prediction/bet of under 31.5 wins @BillSimmons! 👀 You guys usually have great content and good stuff… thanks for all you do. But also keep your eye on the Suns, like I told you… we…
Always fun to see what the so-called “experts” thought about the Suns before the season. Proud of what we’re building here in Phoenix and we are just getting started! https://t.co/K5vjjuEl56
With the eighth hardest strength of schedule remaining, the Suns could have their hands full the rest of the regular season. They play every team ahead of them in the West at least once, and their last game of the season is against the team with the most wins in the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have beaten the Suns three out of four times this year already.
The Suns play the Los Angeles Lakers twice down the stretch, two important matchups with a team so close in both conference and divisional standings. The Suns are currently 2-1 in the series this year and need one more win to secure the season victory.
With seeds 3-7 separated by just three games, having the season series win over a divisional opponent could prove to be the difference between being in or out of the Play-In Tournament. For a team like the Lakers that are heavily relying on a 41-year-old LeBron James, those five to six days of rest that come with not being in the play-in could be the difference between going home early or late in the playoffs, on top of the risk of being eliminated in the play-in tournament.
If the Suns are going to avoid the play-in tournament, they’re going to have to play better on the road to finish out the season. While they’re over .500 in their 27 games away from the Mortgage Matchup Center, they have the least amount of wins of any Western Conference team in the top-seven on the road. A major bulk of their road games will come next month, when the Suns have their second six-game road trip of the season. Phoenix has 14 games away and 13 games at home the rest of the way.
One benefit for the Suns is that they are almost the healthiest they’ve been all-year. Dillon Brooks will be out against the San Antonio Spurs coming out of the break due to a suspension for getting his 16th technical foul, but the rest of the team is healthy outside of Grayson Allen, who injured his knee before the All-Star Break. There should be a health update on his injury status soon.
With a tough schedule, a mostly healthy roster and a nearly even split in home and road games the rest of the way, where do you think the Suns will finish in the standings?
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Rashaun Agee had 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, Zach Clemence and Marcus Hill scored 14 points apiece, and Texas A&M erased a 13-point second-half deficit Wednesday night to beat Mississippi 80-77 and snap a four-game skid.
Ole Miss (11-15, 3-10 SEC), which had lost four in a row by double figures, has now lost eight straight.
Ruben Dominguez had 13 points and five assists for Texas A&M (18-8, 8-5).
AJ Storr scored 16 of his 21 in the second half and Malik Dia — who left the game due to an apparent ankle injury with almost three minutes remaining — had 20 points on 10 of 14 shooting for the Rebels. Ilias Kamardine added 12 points and Patton Pinkins had 11.
Ole Miss took its biggest lead of the game at 63-50 when Dia threw down a dunk with 11:46 left in the game. He followed with another dunk son after to make it a 10-point lead with 7:06 left. Texas A&M closed the game on a 19-6 run and held the Rebels scoreless for the final 3 1/2 minutes. Dominguez sparked the spurt with a 3-pointer, added three free throws and hit another 3. Clemence had six points before Agee scored the last four of the game.
Texas A&M shot 61% (19 of 31) in the second half.
Agee made a driving layup that capped a 10-2 run and gave the Aggies a 78-77 lead — their first since 18-17 — with 1:58 left.
The Rebels had a season-high 23 fast break points and scored 20 points off 13 Texas A&M turnovers.
OG Anunoby’s toenail is still missing, but he’ll be back in the starting lineup.
Jeremy Sochan arrived and, according to coach Mike Brown, “will get an opportunity.”
So who is the odd man out?
New Knicks Jeremy Sochan will get an opportunity to be in the Knicks’ lineup rotation, according to head coach Mike Brown. Getty Images
It sounds like rookie Mohamed Diawara.
“I’ll play young guys, and I have played young guys in front of vets before,” the Knicks coach said. “But I’m going to give Jeremy an opportunity.”
Diawara, 20, has been a pleasant surprise this season while filling in for injured teammates, flashing two-way potential with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and averaging 20 minutes in the past five games.
He’s shooting 41.3 percent on 3s and coming off a strong performance in a victory over the 76ers, the last game before the Knicks signed Sochan, a 6-foot-8 defensive specialist who plays the same power forward position as Diawara.
Brown explained that Sochan, who is just 22 but in his fourth NBA season, gets the edge because of his experience and since there are just two months to determine his value for the postseason.
Rookie Mohamed Diawara, who has played well recently, will be out of the Knicks’ rotation for the time being. NBAE via Getty Images
Both Diawara and Sochan are free agents in the summer.
“[Sochan] knows the league. The league knows him. He knows the officials and vice versa. So he’s going to get an opportunity,” Brown said. “But at the end of the day, I’m going to play who I think is best for us. Right now Jeremy is new. He hasn’t played for us. So I have to see rather quickly what we have in him before going to the playoffs.”
Still, there are no guarantees of even a short-term sizable role for even Sochan.
With Anunoby returning from a four-game absence for Thursday’s big showdown against the Pistons, the Knicks are fully healthy in the frontcourt.
That means Sochan’s minutes will be squeezed in among those of Anunoby, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.
Brown will put the puzzle together with an eye on getting the newcomer on the court.
“I’m not sure how many minutes I’m going to play him, but I plan on trying to use him,” Brown said. “And hopefully we get to a point where he’s versatile enough to play one through five for us.”
Brown’s conversations with Sochan helped push the power forward to sign with the Knicks despite other suitors.
“When you look at Jeremy, you like his size right off the bat,” the coach said. “Especially for a power forward. OG is of that size. But nobody else really is of that size. And you look at the versatility, over the years he’s been able to guard [every position]. So to have that versatility on that end of the floor — it’s huge. Especially if OG is out. We’re a lot smaller if a guy like OG or Josh are both out. And then [Sochan’s] energy, his physicality — all those things that don’t necessarily show up in a stat sheet, in my opinion — would be welcomed by any team, and we were lucky to get him.”
Brown had already removed point guard Tyler Kolek, a 2024 second-round pick, from the rotation to accommodate the arrival of Jose Alvarado.
Sochan’s role seemed less certain after he was cast aside in San Antonio amid shooting struggles and the emergence of a replacement, rookie Carter Bryant.
In New York, Sochan will get a chance to win a role back and a rookie will take a step back.
“We’ve talked a lot and it’s just seizing whatever opportunity I can get,” Sochan said. “And I think one of the reasons I picked New York is it’s a really deep roster, a lot of really talented players. I think it’s a pretty cool opportunity to watch and grow from that too. I think I’m still young, too. So just being around players who have established themselves and have done a lot of stuff in this league is a crazy opportunity for me. … I do believe in myself and I do believe I can do well on the court, too. But I do look at it in the bigger picture. And what’s happening here, I think I can be a part of it.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nate Ament matched a career high with 29 points to lead Tennessee to an 89-66 victory over Oklahoma on Wednesday night.
Tennessee (19-7, 9-4 Southeastern Conference) never trailed and held a double-digit lead for most of the second half. The Volunteers have won three straight and seven of their last eight.
Ament shot 9 of 17 from the floor, 8 of 8 from the free-throw line and made three of the Volunteers' five 3-pointers. Felix Okpara made five dunks and finished with 18 points for Tennessee. Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 16 points and DeWayne Brown II chipped in with 13 points off the bench.
The Volunteers shot 52% (33 of 63) overall and scored 31 points from 15 Oklahoma turnovers.
Nijel Pack made four 3s and scored 20 points to lead Oklahoma (13-13, 3-10), which ended its two-game win streak. Tae Davis added 12 points and Derrion Reid scored 10.
Ament scored 12 points and Gillespie added nine to help Tennessee build a 45-36 halftime lead. Pack and Davis scored eight points apiece in the first half for the Sooners, who shot 52% from the floor and hit 5 of 12 from long range.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Reserve Snudda Collins scored 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting and 20th-ranked Texas Tech waylaid No. 15 Baylor 87-56 on Wednesday night.
Bailey Maupin scored 22 points with the help of 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range and Gemma Nunez and Sarengbe Sanogo scored 10 apiece for the Lady Raiders (24-4, 11-4 Big 12).
The Lady Raiders shot 56% (34 of 61) overall.
Taliah Scott and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs each scored 13 for Baylor (22-6, 11-4), which shot 36% (20 of 55).
Texas Tech built a 12-6 lead by the midway point of the first quarter and never trailed. Collins made a 3-pointer and followed with a layup to give Texas Tech a 22-12 lead. Scott ended the quarter with a 3 for Baylor.
A 10-2 run highlighted by a pair of Maupin 3s to start the second quarter pushed the advantage to 32-17 with 7:54 left before halftime. Texas Tech went to the half up 48-28.
Despite missing their first five shots to start the third, Texas Tech ended it converting 5 of 6 and led 67-44 at the end of three.
The win marks Texas Tech's first season sweep over Baylor since the 2003-04 season.
Texas Tech beat Baylor 61-60 in the conference opener for both team on Dec. 21. It ended the Bears' 31-game win streak over the Lady Raiders going back to 2011. That was Tech’s first win in Waco since Feb. 8, 2004.
Wednesday's win was Texas Tech's first in Lubbock over Baylor since Jan. 15, 2006.
When Jeremy Sochan was selected ninth overall by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2022 NBA Draft, he couldn't have expected that the team that believed so highly in him would go on to waive him after three seasons of solid production before that.
But that's where Sochan found himself a week ago after the Spurs failed to find a trade partner and move him before the NBA trade deadline.
The lack of interest around the league in the former lottery pick wasn't Sochan's fault as San Antonio drastically cut his playing time and limited his contributions to the team this year than in years past.
After playing in 184 games and making 149 starts between the 2022-23 and the 2024-25 seasons, and averaging 27.0 minutes per game during that stretch, Sochan saw the court just 28 times this season with no starts while averaging 12.8 minutes per game. The role restriction resulted in the 22-year-old putting up pedestrian numbers (4.1 points per game, 2.6 rebounds per game) compared to averaging 11.3 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game over the last three seasons.
More than just his offensive numbers, though, Sochan also provided tough defense, bursts of energy, a willingness to learn and seemed to be a fan-favorite while rocking unique looks with his hair color and style.
So, after getting signed by the Knicks shortly after clearing waivers, you can imagine Sochan's excitement to get a fresh start. With at least one full practice under his belt with his new team, the 22-year-old is excited for the opportunities he's given to prove his value once again.
"It’s just seizing whatever opportunity I get," Sochan said. "And I think one of the reasons why I picked New York is it’s a very deep roster, a lot of really talented players and I think it’s a pretty cool opportunity just watching and to grow from that too.
"I still think I’m young, so just being around players that have established themselves and have done a lot of stuff in this league, I think is a crazy opportunity for me."
The power forward will have a chance right away as head coach Mike Brown plans to insert Sochan ahead of Mohamed Diawara in the pecking order, much like he did with Jose Alvarado over Tyler Kolek when Alvarado joined New York.
In 45 games, the rookie Diawara is averaging 2.7 points in 7.1 minutes per game.
"I’m versatile," Sochan said. "I can do a little bit of everything, so whatever coach wants me to do, you know, whatever gets me on the court, I’m gonna do it and I’m gonna do it 100 percent."
Having said in the past that he admires Draymond Green and his tenacity and toughness on defense, Sochan plans on bringing a similar style to his game with the Knicks. And although he's still learning from the greats in this league, Sochan wants to carve out something that's his own as well.
"At the end of the day, I wanna be Jeremy. I wanna be myself," he said. "... I bring versatility, defense, energy, a little bit of tenacity, so I can’t wait."
As for why he ended up choosing New York, Sochan said the Knicks were "always at the top" of his list of potential teams and that he had "refreshing conversations" throughout the entire organization.
Now that he's here and practicing with the team, he said it was "very natural."
"I think I embody what Mike Brown is asking from his players," Sochan said. "I’m a quick learner, so I think I’ve been doing pretty well... The way I view everything is team-first. I’m always gonna be there for my teammates on and off the court.
"I’m bringing energy, positive vibes and I think that’s the most important thing – consistency. Whether that’s on the court, off the court, I’m gonna be myself every time."
When Jimmy Butler suffered a torn ACL in his right knee Jan. 19, everything changed for the Warriors.
Before Butler’s injury, they had won 9 of 12 games and had seemingly found their rhythm after a bumpy start to the season. But after he was sidelined, the Warriors have lost 7 of 11.
The Warriors tried to take a big swing for Giannis Antetokounmpo before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, but the Bucks decided not to trade their superstar. So, the Warriors pivoted and acquired Kristaps Porzingis, who is expected to make his Warriors debut Thursday.
The Warriors are in eighth place in the Western Conference at 29-26. Here are their three biggest storylines as they approach the stretch run of the season:
Warriors new acquisition Kristaps Porzingis. NBAE via Getty ImagesKristaps Porzingis #7 of the Golden State Warriors posing for a portrait. NBAE via Getty Images
1. Will Kristaps Porzingis remain healthy?
If Porzingis is healthy, the Warriors could be competitive. Porzingis, who helped the Celtics win a championship in 2024, is a three-level scorer who will space the floor for Steph Curry with his 3-point shooting and his low-post skills. The problem is the 7-foot-2 center has only played in 17 games this season because of issues with his left Achilles tendon as well as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy expressed confidence that Porzingis’ health won’t be an issue.
“We feel good about it,” Dunleavy said Feb. 7. “We looked into it pretty in depth. We believe in our medical staff. There’s no guarantees, there’s no certainty, but kind of where he’s at right now, where he’s been, we feel good about it.”
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Dunleavy said acquiring Porzingis for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield was a smart gamble for the Warriors. The relationship between Kuminga and the franchise that selected him as the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft had become fractured, and Kuminga had only played in three games for the Warriors since Dec. 6.
“We’re sending out a player in a similar boat that struggled to stay on the floor,” Dunleavy said. “I think from our standpoint, we recognize the risk medically (with Porzingis), but it’s a risk we’re willing to take.”
Meanwhile, Porzingis, who averaged 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots a game this season for the Hawks, called joining the Warriors a great opportunity. When asked if he’s confident he can remain on the floor despite his health issues, he didn’t hesitate.
“I’m confident that I will,” he said. “I will do everything right, and I believe I will.”
NBA star Steph Curry and his wife Ayesha Curry watching the US Open Women’s Final. Jason Szenes for New York PostNBA star Stephen Curry and his wife Ayesha Curry at the US Open. Jason Szenes for New York Post
2. How long is Steph Curry’s championship window?
When it became clear that Butler would miss the rest of the season, Curry’s chances of competing for his fifth ring were considered gone, a devastating realization for a superstar who led the Warriors to four championships in eight years from 2015-2022.
The 37-year-old Curry is averaging 27.2 points on 46.8% shooting, 3.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists a game this season. He became the oldest point guard to be voted as a starter in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday.
He’s still at the top of his game. But the question is: For how long?
A team with a healthy Curry, Butler, Porzingis and Draymond Green could undoubtedly make noise in the playoffs. But without Butler and with Porzingis’ health a question mark, will this be a wasted season for Curry, who’s widely considered the greatest shooter of all time?
Curry, who turns 38 next month and has missed the team’s last five games because of right knee issues, is nearing the sunset of his career and for him not to have a real shot at contending while he’s playing at this level is unfortunate. He will not play against the Celtics on Thursday, coach Steve Kerr said.
Curry, however, said if the Warriors can make the playoffs, they shouldn’t be counted out.
“We feel like we’re still a dangerous team,” Curry said Saturday ahead of the All-Star Game. “All you want is the opportunity when those seven-game series start to have a chance.”
Warriors star Draymond Green. APTy Jerome of the Memphis Grizzlies strips the ball away from Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors. Getty Images
3. Could Warriors make big splash this offseason?
The Warriors don’t have high expectations this season. But they have a treasure chest of first-round picks at their disposal. And they made it clear earlier this month during the Antetokounmpo chase that they’re not afraid to go all in on trying to build a championship team around Curry.
“Our chips are all in on winning,” Dunleavy said.
That sets up the Warriors to try to make a big splash this summer.
So, more than anything, the next two months will be a trial period of sorts for Porzingis, who’s on an expiring $30.7 million contract. If he plays well, the Warriors could keep him. If not, they’ll have enough cap space and first-round picks to retool the team.
So, even though the Warriors didn’t make a trade earlier this month that will make them immediate contenders, they improved their roster without making any long-term commitments and retained their most-prized draft capital, which could set them up to give Curry another shot at a championship next season.
“We’ve got the goods to make deals,” Dunleavy said. “I think the only way we wouldn’t be in the mix is if we gave up assets, young players. All the things you would need to get a great player, we still have all that. I think that’s one of the reasons the KP trade is really good for us, similar to Jimmy last year. We don’t feel like we gave up a ton. And so we still have kind of the firepower to move forward and do more deals, and that’s what we like about that.”
SAN ANTONIO, TX - SEPTEMBER 10: Jeremy Sochan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the flood relief event on September 10, 2025 at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After the rumors of a potential trade before the deadline, Jeremy Sochan’s time in San Antonio ended with even less fanfare than expected. Sochan was bought out and joined the Knicks, and the Spurs used their open roster spot to sign Mason Plumlee to bolster their center depth. It was a banal ending to what once was an exciting partnership.
Sochan was the first lottery pick of the tank era, which started with the Derrick White trade. He was a charismatic, flawed, intriguing first piece, and fans understandably latched on to his development while looking for hope in those early days. The attachment to Sochan continued even as his minutes dwindled and his importance to the rebuild declined, so it’s sad to see him go.
The question is, what went wrong? Sochan thinks it was a lack of opportunities from a coach with whom he didn’t see eye to eye. It was clear since Mitch Johnson took over that he wasn’t as high on Sochan as Gregg Popovich. But what happened before that is as important to understanding why a former lottery pick ended up waived before his rookie contract expired, and why it wasn’t that big of a surprise.
Under Gregg Popovich, the Spurs tried extremely hard to make things work with Sochan, but failed
Any discussion about Sochan has to start with the inconsistency in roles and positions he faced. Most people, myself included, hated the Point Sochan experiment for good reason: the skills to make it work just weren’t there, at least then. Sochan was a solid ball handler and passer for his position, but he wasn’t suited to be an on-ball creator, especially with the supporting cast he had around him. It seemed like they were setting him up to fail. As it was happening, it made no sense.
Looking back, it was probably done to find a way to keep Sochan on the floor even after his rookie year convinced the decision-makers that he wouldn’t be able to excel as a regular power forward. The most likely explanation for the seemingly nonsensical experiment is that it was an attempt to hide him on offense at one of the few positions/roles in which a consistent three-pointer is not a must: primary ball handler. (It’s also the likely reason why the Spurs are running their offense through Stephon Castle now, despite having De’Aaron Fox around.) The explanation that it was done to help develop his floor game is debunked by the way they used him next.
After their failed primary ball handler experiment, the Spurs moved Sochan to the only other role in which a complementary guy can survive without having to shoot: rim-running center. The fit was better with Sochan as an off-ball finisher. He set good screens and dived, roamed the baseline for dumpoffs, and crashed the offensive glass when the help defender overcommitted. As Victor Wembanyama developed as a shooter, he was able to space the floor for Sochan, and they switched positions on defense, with Victor patrolling the paint and Sochan hounding ball handlers. It worked for Sochan on offense, and it allowed the coaching staff to have their best perimeter defender on the floor.
The problem is that it makes no sense to build a team around Sochan. He’s simply not a star, and his skills weren’t unique enough. When there were no better options, the coaching staff made the pieces fit as well as they could, but when Stephon Castle replaced the perimeter defense he provided, and Keldon Johnson and Luke Kornet supplied the energy and offensive rebounding he used to deliver, Sochan’s minutes dwindled. Yes, Mitch Johnson could have made some room for Sochan next to Wemby and next to Kelly Olynyk, something he tried a few times, but with a potential replacement in place with similar defensive upside and no broken shot in Carter Bryant (coincidentally starting his rookie contract as Sochan’s ended), the coaching staff focused on the future.
The Spurs could have tried to just let Sochan succeed or fail by playing him exclusively at power forward. But they correctly realized that without a shot, the latter was the most likely outcome. There’s a reason very few players who approximate Sochan’s skill set get consistent minutes on good teams.
Maybe Sochan will make the Spurs look silly in a few years, but it doesn’t feel likely
Does that mean Sochan has no place in the NBA? Of course not, as the Spurs themselves proved. There’s a simple recipe that makes him useful: slot him at center on offense next to a perimeter-oriented big man, have him guard perimeter scorers on the other end, and enjoy his intensity and edge. You don’t build a team around Sochan or bend over backwards to find him minutes when you have better options, but if you already have a roster in which his skill set makes sense, he can contribute. The Knicks are such a team. Karl-Anthony Towns got Jarred Vanderbilt, one of the players most similar to Sochan, an extension when the two were in Minnesota, and he could do the same now.
There is a chance Sochan is in the league for 10 more years, even if the shot never develops much, but his other skills do. Derrick Jones Jr. and Toumani Camara, to name a few, have gotten just good enough at shooting that they can leverage their athleticism and defense into playing time and eight-figure deals. Sochan is only 22, so the shot might eventually become viable, and his career prospects would improve massively if that happens. Reaching the PJ Washington/Santi Aldama tier is not out of the question for him. There is a reason most teams don’t end up waving young players they drafted in the lottery, and it’s not just them falling for the sunk cost fallacy.
So maybe the Spurs will miss out on a solid role player, but after three and a half seasons, it doesn’t feel like they are missing out on the next Aaron Gordon or Draymond Green. They seem convinced that he’s simply not special on the court, which at this point is a safe bet. It might seem harsh to say this, but he’s no longer necessary, not because he’s replaceable, but because he has already been replaced.
It’s always hard to say goodbye to homegrown talent that represented hope during dark times. Sochan’s personality, feistiness, and commitment to doing whatever was asked of him to improve make moving on even more difficult. Those who were fans of his and think he was wronged will be hurt and need their time to mourn. But hopefully, they will eventually find solace in the fact that even without Sochan, the Spurs seem on their way to reaching the goal they set for themselves the year they drafted him.
