The recent decision by the New York Knicks to sign Jeremy Sochan certainly comes with some questionmarks.
Will his lack of a shooting game cap the club's upside come playoff time? What if his well-documented firecracker personality negatively affects this already shaky roster?
Though the excitement of his addition is undoubtedly warranted, there are certainly several concerns about his fit on this team.
However, in a shocking turn of events, the primary fear many fans seem to have about the Sochan signing is that it could severely hinder the development of rookie, Mohamed Diawara here in 2025-26.
In truth, it may very well prove to be the case that the forward's arrival in the Big Apple will eat into some of the Frenchman's valuable playing time during the final few months of regular-season action and throughout the postseason.
However, the sad reality is that, if it means getting the most out of Sochan's innate potential, a reduction in his role in the immediate future could very well prove to be worth it.
Jeremy Sochan's upside too high for Knicks to worry about Mo Diawara
Yes, the second-round selection in Diawara has been a pleasant surprise during these middle stages of the campaign, especially over the past eight games where he's served as one of the club's top three-point marksmen (46.2 percent clip) and most impactful contributors from an on-court net rating standpoint (12.7) amid their 6-2 run.
However, we're talking about a player at the same position in Sochan who's still only 22 years old and is just four years removed from being selected ninth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Once labeled by Kevin O'Connor upon entering the league as someone who "has limitless potential" if he can ever develop a consistent jumper, through three-and-a-half seasons of action, it's easy to see why he received such a descriptor.
While he may boast a traditional wing's build at 6-foot-8, 230 pounds, with his 7-foot wingspan and otherworldly athleticism and hustle, Sochan has proven capable of guarding any player from the one down to the five.
On top of this, he also possesses an innate ability to serve in a Swiss Army Knife role a la Josh Hart, especially when receiving a consistent role within San Antonio's scheme during his first three seasons, where he stuffed the stat sheet with averages of 19.9 points, 10.7 rebounds (3.4 offensive), and 4.9 assists per 100 possessions.
It's this kind of ridiculous versatility that made the Spurs comfortable making him their starting point guard during his sophomore go-around, and then their backup pivot behind Victor Wembanyama in year three.
While he's not a long-range sniper like Diawara is, on a team flush with elite shooting threats like Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby, having someone who can get them the rock, fight for second-chance opportunities, and safely take on ball-handling duties on offense at any position, while providing breathtaking efforts on defense, is arguably more important.
So while the idea of having their recent draft steal's role in coach Mike Brown's rotation slashed may be upsetting, if it means getting a fully locked-in and committed Sochan inserted in instead, it's the right move for the title starved Knicks to make.