Spurs' Jeremy Sochan Seeks Trade, Pelicans Want Desmond Bane Return

San Antonio has allowed Jeremy Sochan to seek a trade after falling out of coach Mitch Johnson's rotation. Sochan has played in 11 of the Spurs' last 24 games, is 22, and earns $7.1 million in the final year of his rookie deal, making him a cheap, efficient deadline target. The Pelicans, meanwhile, say they would only consider "a Desmond Bane-type offer" for Herb Jones or Trey Murphy III, which makes both players largely untouchable given most contenders' limited draft capital. Merlin sees front offices circling for affordable help, not headline swaps. Sochan is a tidy, low-risk depth piece contenders can plug in quickly. Jones and Murphy remain premium three-and-D assets whose steep price and New Orleans' lack of early picks through 2027 will slow any deal. Expect a busy market for role players instead of blockbuster moves.