Spurs caving to a Jeremy Sochan demand for Kevin Durant would be massive mistake

Apparently, rival NBA executives believe Jeremy Sochan can be had via the trade market, and that notion is a controversial one among Spurs fans. HoopsHype's Michael Scotto released a new intel piece on the current state of the league, with all the rumors swirling, and that's one of them. Let's talk about that.

Sochan can be traded but not for Durant

If we're talking about exchanging Sochan for Durant, there's more to that. They're still going to want Devin Vassell, and you'd have to include either Keldon Johnson or Harrison Barnes to get the money to work on top of the #14 pick. Well, that's too rich for a soon-to-be 37-year-old KD.

The Spurs would be gutting their depth if they made that deal, and as the NBA Finals over the past two seasons have taught us anything, it's that you need a strong rotation to go deep into the playoffs. Trading three key players away for an aging Kevin Durant, who is serviceable on defense but has never been special on that end, would be doubly hurting the team.

Sochan is one of the best wing defenders in the league. He causes problems for some of the most dynamic hoopers in the NBA, blocks shots, and is strong, so he holds his ground well when matched up against bigger players. We spend a lot of time discussing how much San Antonio needs shooting, spacing, and a backup big, but they also need to improve their defense.

It will be difficult to do that if they get rid of the second-best defender on the team, who is only a runner-up because the guy sitting atop the throne in that department is a generational talent. SA's offense would improve, but the defense would plummet. Nobody wants to see that.

So, the question becomes: what would it take for the Spurs to trade Jeremy? I'll leave the player trade ideas to you, but it's not going to be for Kevin Durant. But Sochan isn't a star, and when even players like Luka Doncic can be traded, the "untouchable" crowd seems to include fewer players than ever.

However, San Antonio has never been known as an overaggressive team, and the former Baylor standout continues to show a determination you can't teach.

I still have a lot of faith in what the 22-year-old forward can become, and while it's not a perennial all-star, it's an important glue guy—the kind you need to go far in the playoffs. The 210 is familiar with those guys. They're your Bruce Bowens, Patty Mills, Tiago Splitters, etc. They bring the fight and they bring the fire. That's worth more than some care to admit.