Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
2025 Free Agents - Josh Okogie
Okogie has shown some real defensive ability, as he has the size and quickness to guard 1-4. He can be a legitimate lock-down defender on-ball, and also can be disruptive off-ball, as he has very good steal and block rates for a wing. However, Okogie has yet to show much of any development offensively, and despite becoming enough of a rotation player that he even started some games in the 2023 playoffs for the Suns. While Okogie shot a career high from three in '24-'25, he only hit 34%, and his career rate is very poor at 30%, and shot 29% in '23-'24. Despite really struggling shooting the ball, he does add some value offensively with his offensive rebounding, posting an elite offensive rebounding rate for a wing during his time in Phoenix. While that didn't continue after being traded to Charlotte, he has historically put up good offensive rebounding numbers dating back to his time in Minnesota. He has also showed some improved passing ability in the last couple years. Defenses will often leave Okogie left unguarded and load up against the other players on the floor. If he can avoid becoming a liability offensively, that will be huge for him going forward. Okogie needs to become enough of a threat offensively that he can stay on the court. At nearly age 27 as a potential free agent in 2025, it's unclear how much improvement we can expect from him.
Summary
Okogie's $7.8 million salary for 2025-2026 is non-guaranteed, and if he is waived he will become an unrestricted free agent and the Hornets will have no form of Bird rights on him. If he is waived, teams could claim him off waivers, but would need to fit his salary within cap space or an exception to do so. If Okogie becomes a free agent, other teams will have multiple ways to sign him as even teams without cap space could use any of the Non-Taxpayer MLE, Room MLE, or possibly even the Taxpayer MLE or Bi-Annual Exception to sign him. If Okogie is waived and clears waivers, his value may have dropped low enough that he would only have offers for the minimum. It's also possible that the Hornets retain him just to use him as potential matching salary in a future trade.
Cap Considerations
Taurean Prince (1 year minimum, 2024) Matisse Thybulle (2+1 years, $33 million, 2023) Kenrich Williams (4-1 years, $27 million, 2022)