The Portland Trail Blazers brought in Jeremy Sochan on a non-guaranteed deal, competing for a roster spot with Micah Potter. Portland claimed Potter off waivers after the Indiana Pacers released him. That deal includes a non-guaranteed contract. Now, the plan appears to bring in competition like Sochan on other non-guaranteed deals heading into training camp.
They could potentially retain both on the roster as the 15 heading into the season, though that raises the question of whether there'll be enough wing depth. Shooting also remains a key issue, which is the one major advantage Potter has over Sochan in this roster battle.
Micah Potter's shooting should earn him a Blazers roster spot
Statistically, he had a career year last season with the Pacers, averaging 9.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists on 52/42/84 shooting splits. It wasn't a headliner addition by any means, but it was a sneaky move on the margins by GM Joe Cronin to add the depth and shooting this team needed.
Meanwhile, Sochan is on the other end of the spectrum as more of a defensive specialist. He's far less established than Potter, meaning Portland would have to take a flier on his upside as a former top ten pick in 2022.
While Potter eclipsed 40 percent from beyond the arc last season, Sochan finished below 25 percent. He's a far better fit for their defensive identity, and certainly makes sense to bring into camp to see if there's anything there worth a continued investment.
But didn't Portland endure a similar situation with Kris Murray? They ultimately packaged their former 2023 first-round pick in the Ja Morant deal. He was expendable because he couldn't shoot!
It may be a minor end-of-bench roster decision for someone who rarely sees the court. But given how contrasting their styles are, this Potter-Sochan competition and resulting decision by the Blazers will be incredibly telling about their vision for this roster.
They've leaned more into a balanced roster this summer, adding more offensive weapons at the expense of some of their defense. Does that trend continue with added shooting in Potter, or do they compensate for some of those moves with Sochan as a potential replacement?
The Blazers likely don't even know what direction they are going to take this roster as they continue to stockpile assets in their rebuild. But at some point, they'll need to prioritize the best fit, and that should start with complementary pieces like the floor-spacing Potter.
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