Sidy Cissoko emerged as a gem for the Trail Blazers in 2025-26, making himself a player worth factoring into the team’s future plans. He played 75 games (26 starts) and averaged 19.1 minutes per night last season, and he’ll be eager to continue his growth and rise even further in the rotation ranks next year.
A serious breakout campaign could be in the cards for Cissoko. If he’s going to make that happen, he’ll have to start by beating out Portland’s training camp signee, Jeremy Sochan, for the backup power forward spot.
Sidy Cissoko and Jeremy Sochan will be in competition during training camp
Cissoko’s appeal comes from his positional size, defense, and hustle. He’s a limited scorer, especially from beyond the arc, but he makes an impact by working hard, getting stops, and bringing energy.
Jeremy Sochan’s value proposition is quite similar. He made efforts to add a consistent jumper to his game, even shooting free throws with one hand for years to work on his form, but they never paid off. So, like Cissoko, he’s mainly a defensive specialist.
The parallels between Cissoko and Sochan are ironic because they’re former teammates— they were drafted by the Spurs in back-to-back years. That said, the old comrades are now being pitted against each other because of that correlation.
Portland doesn’t have room for two non-spacers in their lineup, or two backup fours in general, for that matter. Cissoko and Sochan are fighting for the same spot in the rotation, and there can only be one winner.
The backup power forward spot should be Cissoko’s to lose
Cissoko currently has the upper hand in this duel. His clear-cut advantage is that he has a standard contract for the upcoming season, whereas Sochan is just on a camp deal. On top of that, Cissoko is younger (although only by a year), he already has chemistry with Portland’s roster, and his chances of becoming a passable shooter are a touch higher.
Sochan is the more established player, and he’s more experienced, too, after spending time with the Spurs (a world-class organization) and the Knicks (he won a championship with them). He has insider knowledge on Victor Wembanyama, a slight edge the Blazers could be interested in adding, given they’re going to see a lot of The Alien moving forward.
Plus, Sochan offers a tad more on offense than Cissoko right now as a finisher and connective passer. But, overall, it feels like with push coming to shove, the Blazers should prioritize Cissoko and his development. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
If the Blazers place confidence in Sidy Cissoko and let him rock out as a backup next year, he could very well exceed expectations even further and become an integral piece in the lineup.
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