With the NBA All-Star break officially in the books, the New York Knicks are back in action tonight vs the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. New York currently sits in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference, only 0.5 games back of the Boston Celtics.
Although President Leon Rose didn’t shake the basketball landscape to its core with a trade for superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Knicks added two defensive sparks through the NBA trade deadline and free agency market. After an inspiring stretch of defense before the break, New York has risen to the 11th-best team in defensive rating, at 112.8.
With the additions of guard Jose Alvarado and versatile wing Jeremy Sochan, the Knicks will look to bolster their defensive presence off the bench.
Jose Alvarado player profile breakdown
When the Knicks battered the Philadelphia 76ers by 49 on Jan. 11, Alvarado made an electric introduction to fans of the blue and orange. With eight made threes and five steals, “GTA5” lived up to the nickname… and some.
Jose Alvarado is a do-it-all, in-your-face guard that perfectly complements the New York Knicks’ bench. The 27-year-old profiles as an elite perimeter defender, with the ability to shoot from behind the arc and facilitate off the bench. With guard Miles McBride out for the next couple of weeks, Alvarado’s presence will prove crucial.
According to Basketball Index, Alvarado grades out in the 90th percentile in perimeter isolation defense and 81st percentile in pickpocket rating and passing lane defense. Although the 6’0″ guard isn’t the best interior defender, he remains a force on the perimeter.
Alvarado fills the ball-handling gap perfectly off the bench
With the Knicks previously lacking a primary ball handler off the bench, Alvarado fills that gap perfectly. He grades out as an A- in playmaking talent, passing creation quality, passing efficiency, passing versatility and on-ball gravity. Alvarado isn’t just a good passer; he’s an elite playmaker who can create for himself and his teammates at an efficiency clip. Expect a lot of drive-and-kick to the shooters around the perimeter, a staple of modern basketball.
Alvarado won’t be a player who commonly drives and finishes through contact, or even pulls up in the midrange, but he has a nice touch around the basket, with floater talent at a B+.
Alvarado will provide elite perimeter defense, while cutting passing lanes and collecting steals. With an A- in three-point shooting talent and three-point shot creation, the Georgia Tech alum is a real danger from behind the arc. Although he’s a subpar rebounder and interior defender, Alvarado will provide a big-time spark off the bench for the Knicks.
Jeremy Sochan player profile breakdown
For the San Antonio Spurs, Jeremy Sochan was having the most lackluster season of his young career. The former 9th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft was averaging a measly 12.8 minutes per game, a drastic fall from 25.3 minutes in the 2024-2025 season. From face value, Knicks fans might be puzzled as to why New York signed Sochan to the veteran minimum deal; however, the down-season doesn’t show what the 6’8″ wing can do when he’s at his best.
Throughout the rough season, Sochan remains an elite wing defender who can guard the best player on the opposing team. Grading out in the 85th percentile in perimeter isolation defense, Sochan joins an elite group of defensive wings the Knicks have at their disposal. In the past two seasons, Sochan graded out in the 96th and 99th percentile in PID. I wouldn’t be shocked if Sochan’s defense gets even better in a new environment.
Although Sochan is having a down year in ball-screen navigation, in the 50th percentile, I expect him to bounce back to an 80th percentile or higher ball-screen navigator.
What stands out the most about Sochan’s profile is his defensive versatility, with all four of his seasons grading out in the 90th percentile or higher in defensive versatility. Last season, the Baylor alum was in the 99th percentile in that metric.
Mike Brown could use Sochan in a creative way
With many fans worried about Sochan taking away minutes from promising wing Mohamad Diawara, the 51st pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, I wouldn’t be shocked if Mike Brown gets creative with Sochan filling in for center Ariel Hukporti. For the past two seasons, Sochan guarded the center position more than any other on the court. If Brown wants a more athletic defender with more touch around the rim, don’t be shocked if we get some “small ball” lineups with Sochan at the five.
The 22-year-old’s offensive game is underdeveloped, with the midrange and outside shot almost nonexistent. However, Sochan’s a crafty finisher around the rim, an area of his game that doesn’t get a ton of credit. Although Sochan’s role with this Knicks team is still in the air, don’t expect a developed offensive bag; but elite defensive versatility instead.
With only 27 games remaining in the regular season, the final stretch is here. If New York wants to sustain an improved defense, the new additions will be crucial in that movement.
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