Surprise, surprise, trades are still a thing! Over the weekend, the Miami Heat sent 3-and-D forward Haywood Highsmith and a 2032 second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for a protected 2026 second-rounder.

Although not a sizable trade by any means, the Heat made the swap to duck the luxury tax, which materialized, but at what cost? Miami sent a reliable wing to maneuver the strict salary cap ramifications, yet the cost-cutting move didn’t necessarily have to occur until the end of the season.

Being one of the few late-August transactions, the untimely trade prompted an analysis by Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon of the Game Theory Podcast. It also brought about an interesting discussion between the two pundits regarding the best underrated trade targets across the association.

Jeremy Sochan makes for an interesting trade candidate

Following the discussion of young guards Devin Carter and Jaden Ivey as trade candidates, Vecenie suggested San Antonio Spurs’ wing Jeremy Sochan as a potential player to watch on the trade block. First and foremost, Sochan is extension eligible. The 2025-26 season will be the final year of the $23 million rookie contract he signed in 2022.

Moreover, Vecenie provided further reasoning, bringing up the Spurs’ general lack of shooting across the board. The podcaster named De’Aaron Fox, Steph Castle, Dylan Harper, and Carter Bryant, as several questionable shooters, either entrenched in the Spurs lineup or vying for playing time, in Bryant’s case.

Speaking of Bryant, Vecenie likened him to Sochan, reiterating that each forward’s strengths and weaknesses are nearly identical. Thus, the question arises, why pay Sochan when Bryant is a more than capable replacement?

Considering the Bulls’ propensity to let it fly from deep, both at a high rate and efficiently, coupled with their utter lack of versatile defenders, Vecenie highlighted Chicago as an ideal fit for the 22-year-old forward. Sochan’s youth aligns with the Bulls’ Front Office’s vision, and his play style certainly fits what Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley have been targeting—evidenced by the draft selection of Noa Essengue and the trade for Isaac Okoro.

Of course, the Bulls’ wing rotation is suddenly deep following the acquisitions of Essengue and Okoro. Chicago also rosters Matas Buzelis, Kevin Huerter, Julian Phillips, Dalen Terry, and Patrick Williams. At least four of the seven aforementioned names will receive significant playing time.

There isn’t much wiggle room for the Bulls to add more wing depth… this offseason. However, Huerter and Terry will be off the books next offseason, and Okoro and Phillips are soon to follow. Furthermore, Williams has been mentioned as a trade candidate for quite some time; it’s now a matter of who would be willing to take the $18 million forward off the Bulls’ hands.

All in all, Sochan is a tantalizing option. He’s capable of lining up at either forward spot and has made his presence felt as a quality defender. Chicago is in dire need of a physical forward such as Sochan—one who brings energy and hustle. Lastly, Sochan’s sub-30 percent career three-point rate wouldn’t be as magnified on the Bulls. He’d be put in a position to succeed on offense as a cutter and transition threat alongside Josh Giddey and Coby White.