Josh Okogie Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Suns’ Josh Okogie To Decline Player Option

June 28th, 2024 at 11:06am CST by Arthur Hill

Suns guard Josh Okogie will turn down his $2.95MM player option for next season and test free agency, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Okogie, 25, came to Phoenix as a free agent in 2022 and re-signed with the team last summer on a two-year deal that included the option. The Suns used him mainly in a backup role, as he averaged 4.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 60 games this season while playing 16 minutes per night.

A recent report indicated that Phoenix was hoping Okogie would exercise the option to help with roster stability. Only seven members of this year’s 15-man roster are currently under contract for 2024/25.

The Suns still want to re-sign the veteran wing, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports, who suggests (via Twitter) the team has interest in a deal a little above the veteran’s minimum. Phoenix holds Okogie’s Early Bird rights.

Okogie was selected by Minnesota with the 20th pick in the 2018 draft. He spent four years with the Wolves before accepting an offer in Phoenix.

Okogie joins Suns teammates Eric Gordon and Drew Eubanks in declining their options for next season. The team is still awaiting a decision from Damion Lee, who must determine whether to pick up his $2.8MM option by Saturday.

Free Agency Rumors: LeBron, Clippers, Harris, Suns, Warriors, Klay

June 25th, 2024 at 7:24am CST by Luke Adams

LeBron James‘s decision on his $51.4MM player option is due this Saturday, and while the Lakers star has yet to formally make a call one way or the other on that option, at least one recent report indicated he’s leaning toward opting out. That doesn’t mean he’ll leave Los Angeles though, since the Lakers will still be in position to offer him more than any other suitor as a free agent — and it sounds like they’ll do just that.

According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the Lakers are “committed” to retaining James and are prepared to offer the maximum three-year contract that he’s eligible for. Teams can typically re-sign their own Bird free agents for up to five years, but in LeBron’s case, the over-38 rule would trigger if he signs for four or more years, meaning a three-year agreement is his max.

A maximum-salary three-year contract for James projects to be worth nearly $162MM if he declines his option. In that scenario, he would also be in position to negotiate a no-trade clause, which is available to players who are negotiating free agent contracts if they’ve been in the NBA for eight years and with the team for four years.

Here are a few more free agency rumors and notes from around the NBA:

The Clippers have “some level of interest” in free agent forward Tobias Harris, a source tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Harris, who played for the Clippers for about a year from 2018-19, would likely only be an option for Los Angeles if Paul George leaves, since the team otherwise wouldn’t be in position to make him a competitive offer (and wouldn’t have a pressing on-court need for a forward like Harris). Pompey suggests the possibility of a dual sign-and-trade involving George and Harris, but the Sixers have the cap room to sign George outright and the Clippers would be hard-capped at the first tax apron if they acquire a player via sign-and-trade.
While the Suns‘ top offseason priority is re-signing forward Royce O’Neale, they’re also hoping that swingman Josh Okogie picks up his $2.96MM player option and would like to re-sign forward Bol Bol, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. reiterated that the team wants to bring back free agent sharpshooter Klay Thompson (Twitter video link via NBC Sports Bay Area). However, as Tim Kawakami writes for The Athletic, Dunleavy is “definitely not shaping this whole offseason” around re-signing Thompson.
John Hollinger of The Athletic shared his list of the best point guards on this year’s free agent market, along with his top shooting guards.

Suns Notes: Budenholzer, O’Neale, Eubanks, Gordon, Okogie

May 18th, 2024 at 5:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

New Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer vows to be demanding with the team’s three stars, writes Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. Among the topics Budenholzer addressed Friday at his introductory press conference is how he plans to get the most out of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal in their second season together.

“I think they know that I’m gonna have high expectations of them,” Budenholzer said. “I’m gonna coach ’em, I’m gonna hold ’em accountable. But that’s what I’m gonna do with everybody. And so it’s not any different. That’s kind of been my roadmap for coaching, whether it’s the best players or the entire roster.”

The Suns were criticized this season for not having a traditional point guard to create easier scoring opportunities for their Big Three. Budenholzer told reporters that’s an area that needs to be looked at this summer as part of the larger picture of creating a more versatile team.

“We need to be able to play different ways, bigger, smaller,” he said. “But I think the point guard position has a place, and we’re gonna talk about it and figure it out. But I just know we’re gonna need to be able to play lots of different ways, including without a point guard.”

There’s more from Phoenix:

The competitive nature that Budenholzer showed during his interview helped him land the job as the Suns moved quickly to find a replacement after dismissing Frank Vogel, Bourguet adds in the same piece. “I’m a competitive guy, and we talk about this too: Throughout that process, Bud must have said ‘compete’ 95 times in two minutes,” general manager James Jones said at the press conference. “Compete at everything, compete in practice, compete with each other, against each other. Compete against your opponent, but more importantly, compete with yourself.”
Because the Suns are subject to second apron provisions, they might benefit from re-signing free agent forward Royce O’Neale to more than his market value, Keith Smith of Spotrac suggests in his offseason financial look at the team. Phoenix is prohibited from taking back more than it sends out in a trade. Smith states that if O’Neale’s actual value is around $10MM per year, the Suns can increase their trade options by paying around $15MM or by giving him the exact amount of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which currently projects to be $12.9MM for 2024/25.
Drew Eubanks, Eric Gordon and Josh Okogie are all good bets to decline their player options for next season, according to Smith, who recommends trying to re-sign Eubanks and Gordon to veterans’ minimum contracts this summer with a new player option for the following season. Phoenix holds Early Bird rights on Okogie, so Smith sees a new contract in the $5-8MM range as another way to create tradable salary.

Suns Notes: Budenholzer, Coaching Staff, Ishbia, Eubanks

May 11th, 2024 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mike Budenholzer is getting right to work after being officially hired as the Suns‘ new head coach earlier today. Sources tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Budenholzer is expected to attend the draft combine in Chicago, which starts Monday, and he has already begun the process of forming an entirely new coaching staff.

Members of former head coach Frank Vogel‘s staff have been told that they won’t remain with the team, tweets Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report.

Budenholzer, a two-time Coach of the Year, had been out of the league since being dismissed by the Bucks following a disappointing first-round playoff exit last season. He’s moving into another high-pressure situation as success will be expected right away from an expensive roster built around Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

Phoenix appears to be a good situation for Budenholzer because he has been able to succeed without having a natural point guard, according to an Arizona Sports article, which examines how his teams fared with Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder in Atlanta and Eric Bledsoe and Jrue Holiday in Milwaukee.

There’s more from Phoenix:

Budenholzer will have to prove that he can hold his new Big Three accountable in a way that Vogel couldn’t, observes Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. None of them are naturally vocal leaders, so Budenholzer may have to fill that role, which Bourguet notes could either unlock the group’s full offensive potential or could lead to personality clashes. Bourguet also looks at Budenholzer’s coaching style and states that the Suns are likely to play at a faster pace and take more three-pointers next season.
While there were reasons to make a coaching change, Doug Haller of The Athletic argues that owner Mat Ishbia should receive a large share of the blame for everything that went wrong this season. The Suns have talked about the need to build continuity since they acquired Durant in February of 2023, but Ishbia’s string of big moves have made that impossible to achieve.
Backup center Drew Eubanks, who holds a $2.65MM player option, has received indications that the Suns want him to return next season, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Eubanks, who averaged 5.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 75 games, appears to be leaning toward picking up the option, but he added, “I’m going to make the best decision for my family and I when the time comes.” Eubanks, Eric Gordon, Josh Okogie and Damion Lee all hold player options and have a June 29 deadline to decide whether to exercise them.

Suns Notes: Playoffs, Outlook, Okogie, Booker

April 27th, 2024 at 10:36am CST by Tristan Tucker

No team has come back from the 3-0 playoff hole the Suns find themselves in, and all of their losses this postseason have come in blowout fashion. After making major shakeups to the roster, including acquiring three-time All-Star Bradley Beal and replacing Deandre Ayton with Jusuf Nurkic, the Suns are at risk of a first-round exit and a worse finish than the last three seasons. Fans vocalized their displeasure with Phoenix’s performance as Game 3 dragged on.

“That’s sports,” coach Frank Vogel said, according to PHNX Sports’ Gerald Bourguet (Twitter link). “You get your butt kicked at home, the fans are gonna boo. I don’t blame them.”

Still, the Suns are trying to use their back-against-the-wall mentality to their advantage ahead of Game 4 at home.

“Yeah, of course, we hear it all. They expect so much out of us, they pay their hard-earned money and they deserve to react how they wanna react,” Kevin Durant said, per Bourguet (Twitter link). “So it’s on us as players to use it as fuel and hopefully it ignites us for next game.”

Phoenix is experiencing the majority of its issues in the third quarter, having been outscored by 34 points in the third quarter this series. By comparison, they’ve been outscored by 20 points in the first, second and fourth combined. The Suns’ chance to right the ship begins with Game 4 on Sunday.

“I’ve never been swept a day in my life, so I’ll be damned if that happens,” Beal said, per Bourguet (Twitter link).

We have more Suns notes:

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks observes (Twitter link), the Suns have $150MM tied to Durant, Devin Booker and Beal next season, which is more than the salary of 14 entire teams’ projected payrolls for 2024/25. If the Suns lose in the first round, sweep or otherwise, it’s going to be difficult to make meaningful additions to the roster without trading one of their stars. Like last offseason, Phoenix will have mostly only minimum contracts at its disposal given the team’s position relative to the tax. The Suns control the No. 22 pick in this draft but are barren in the way of future draft capital thanks to the trades for Durant and Beal.
The noncompetitive nature of the final scores between the Suns and the Wolves doesn’t mean the series isn’t chippy. Booker slapped the ball out of Jaden McDaniels‘ hands in the fourth quarter and double technicals were assessed (YouTube link via NBA on ESPN). Later in the quarter, Josh Okogie was ejected after a hard foul on Rudy Gobert, for which he earned a flagrant 2 (YouTube link via NBA on ESPN).
Booker is the only player remaining from the Suns’ NBA Finals roster from 2021, and he has been subject to continual change over the course of his career in Phoenix, Andscape’s Marc J. Spears writes. Before the season, Booker said the Suns’ new-look team falling short of a championship would constitute an unsuccessful season. In the event of a first-round exit, no one will be tougher on themselves than Booker, Spears writes. “I’m always my toughest critic,” Booker said. “That’s how it’s going to be. So, I feel the pressure, but it feels good. It’s everything I always want. I’m good at putting things in perspective. [I have a] great family around me, great friends around me in a beautiful situation of living. I don’t mean that to be cocky. I’m just truly grateful for what I’m doing.“

Pacific Notes: Thomas, Okogie, Paul, Powell

March 20th, 2024 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Isaiah Thomas isn’t content just to be back in the NBA, writes Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. The 35-year-old guard, who signed his 10-day deal with the Suns earlier today, hopes the opportunity will revive his career.

“I want to play a few more years in the league, so hopefully this is a setup for that,” Thomas said. “Whatever the opportunity is, I’m ready to make an impact each and every day. Whether I play or not, it’s bigger than putting the ball in the basket for me. Like, I’m able to lead — lead by example, lead by my experiences and just help in any way possible.”

Coach Frank Vogel said Thomas is a “guy that everyone loves,” but nothing has been promised beyond the initial 10-day deal. Phoenix has an opening on its 15-man roster, and Vogel indicated that the organization wants to see what Thomas can contribute before making a commitment. He added that Thomas fills a need because Saben Lee is running out of games on his two-way contract.

“He’s a very well-liked, respected guy in this league, in this NBA player fraternity, but we’re gonna see where his game is at,” Vogel said of Thomas. “Again, I don’t know how much he’ll play for us. He’s really here from a depth standpoint because Saben Lee only has four games left.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Before tonight’s game, Vogel told reporters that Suns shooting guard Josh Okogie is close to returning from his lower abdominal strain (video link from Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). Okogie hasn’t played since March 2.
Chris Paul talked to Scott Ostler of The San Francisco Chronicle about the role he played in driving Jonathan Kuminga and other young Warriors players to develop their talents. “It’s hard (on the young players), because I’ve got a very strong personality, man, and … it is like a coach, and you should be worried if I ain’t saying nothing to you,” Paul said. “Seriously, I’m just constantly trying to teach and play and compete at the same time.”
Clippers swingman Norman Powell is a strong candidate for Sixth Man of the Year honors, notes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Among players who are primarily reserves, Powell ranks third in scoring, second in field goal percentage and three-point shooting percentage and fourth in minutes per game. “I think it would be amazing. It would be a lot for me,” he said. “It would be recognition for the importance for the team and being able to step up and help the team win and just a testament to all my hard work throughout the years. I feel like I’ve always been an underdog, having to earn my stripes and my spot. Even when I do really well one season, the next season it’s not automatically given. I’ve got to work to get it and prove myself.” Powell is dealing with a left leg contusion and it’s uncertain if he’ll play during the team’s two-game road trip, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

Suns Notes: Nurkic, Booker, Little, Okogie, Playoff Prospects

March 6th, 2024 at 11:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns were dispatched by the Nuggets pretty easily in last year’s playoffs, but Phoenix’s offseason additions could make a difference if the teams meet again, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Jusuf Nurkic isn’t as talented or athletic as Deandre Ayton, but he provides a more physical presence to match up with Nikola Jokic in a seven-game series. Nurkic had seven points, 12 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals as the Suns pulled out an overtime win in Denver Tuesday night.

“We’re most definitely different,” Kevin Durant said. “Adding (Bradley) Beal and Grayson (Allen) and Nurk makes us a different team than last year. But having more experience as a unit helps a lot as well. Last year, we were thrown together pretty quickly, and we were playing against a well-oiled machine. We have nothing but respect for Denver. They challenge us in ways that other teams don’t, so it was good to fight through everything tonight.”

Although Phoenix can’t expect Nurkic to shut down his former teammate, Jones points out that he presents problems for Jokic that few other Western centers do. Nurkic is strong enough to match up with Jokic in the low post without the need for a double team, which limits open opportunities for Denver’s shooters.

There’s more on the Suns:

Coach Frank Vogel describes Devin Booker as “day-to-day” with the sprained right ankle he suffered late in Saturday’s game, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Booker is already ruled out for Thursday’s contest with Toronto, but with a projected timeline of five-to-14 days, Rankin notes that he could be back as early as Monday. “We’ll see how he is over the weekend and into next week,” Vogel said.
Nassir Little received a platelet-rich plasma injection for inflammation in his left knee and Vogel expects him to be sidelined “for a week or so,” Rankin tweets. Josh Okogie has been diagnosed with a lower abdominal strain, Rankin adds.
The past week showed why the Suns are so dangerous but so hard to predict heading into the playoffs, observes Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. The surprising win at Denver followed back-to-back home losses to Houston and Oklahoma City. While injuries have limited the time that the starting five have played together, Bourguet points out that they have the fourth-best ranking of any five-man lineup in the league that has logged at least 250 minutes. He adds that during their only real healthy stretch of the season — from late December through the All-Star break — the Suns posted a 19-7 record.

Trade Rumors: Bucks, Wright, Suns, Mavs, Hornets, Knicks, Magic, Bulls

February 6th, 2024 at 8:09am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks remain committed to upgrading their roster in the hopes of contending for a championship this season and are “shopping hard for help,” one league source tells Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Milwaukee doesn’t have a ton of trade assets on hand to offer, so the team’s most likely outgoing package would consist of Pat Connaughton, Cameron Payne, and Portland’s 2024 second-round pick (currently projected to be No. 35), says Fischer. Connaughton and Payne only make up $11.4MM in outgoing money, so Bobby Portis and his $11.7MM cap hit would need to be included if Milwaukee targets a higher-salary player, Fischer notes.

One potential target who has been linked to the Bucks is Wizards guard Delon Wright, sources tell Fischer. Wright would be a logical fit for a Milwaukee team looking to improve its perimeter defense, though it’s unclear how high he ranks on the Bucks’ list of targets, Fischer writes, adding that the veteran point guard has a wide-ranging market.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Suns are still viewed as the leading suitor for Hornets forward Miles Bridges, league sources tell Fischer. Phoenix’s offer would likely consist of Nassir Little, Josh Okogie, and two second-round picks, per Fischer, though Charlotte is holding out hope of landing a first-rounder for Bridges. The Pistons and Jazz also continue to be linked to the Hornets forward, who has the ability to veto a trade, but the Mavericks – who are seeking forward help – haven’t shown interest in Bridges or Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith as of late, Fischer reports.
The Hornets are fielding more trade inquiries on forward P.J. Washington than any other player, though they aren’t necessarily actively shopping him, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Fischer confirms a previous report stating the Mavericks are among the teams with interest in Washington, but hears that the Clippers are an unlikely landing spot.
Although the Knicks are among the other clubs with interest in Washington, sources tell Fischer, New York is believed to prefer Raptors wing Bruce Brown. Fischer adds that Quentin Grimes continues to generate interest from teams like the Hawks and Jazz, while Tony Jones of The Athletic said during an appearance on ESPN 700 in Utah that he believes Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson would welcome a trade to the Knicks (hat tip to Patrick Byrnes of SI.com).
There have been some whispers around the league about the Magic targeting an experienced point guard such as Kyle Lowry (Hornets) or Chris Paul (Warriors), but Fischer doesn’t believe Orlando has trade interest in either player. Additionally, while the Magic could use some more outside shooting, the club isn’t thought to be pursuing upgrades in that area unless there’s a player who would be a positive on defense as well, according to Fischer, who cites Kings sharpshooter Kevin Huerter as one example of a player who is not on Orlando’s wish list.
Bulls guard Coby White is considered off limits in trade talks and Chicago’s asking price for Alex Caruso is very steep, league sources tell Yahoo Sports. With Zach LaVine out for the season, center Andre Drummond now appears to be the Bull most likely to be dealt, Fischer adds.

Suns Notes: Beal, Durant, Okogie, Gordon, Rotation

January 1st, 2024 at 6:39pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns have won three straight entering their contest against Portland on Monday night. Bradley Beal has played the last two games after recovering from an ankle injury and his presence has been a “game-changer,” according to Devin Booker, Jack Thompson of The Associated Press relays.

Beal had seven assists against Charlotte in his return and 25 points in a five-point victory over Orlando.

“It’s a game-changer, being at full strength,” Booker said. “The offense was moving, the ball was hopping around and we were getting the best available shot.”

We have more on the Suns:

Kevin Durant had a team-high 31 points in 39 minutes against the Magic. He’ll sit out the second game of the back-to-back with the Suns listing right hamstring soreness as the reason. Eric Gordon (right calf soreness) is questionable, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets.
Josh Okogie has only scored one point in three games since returning from an ankle injury but coach Frank Vogel is glad to have the defensive specialist at his disposal, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. “He’s an important part of what we do with his ability to guard on the perimeter,” Vogel said. “We’ll measure it game to game in terms of what his nights look like. Some nights are going to be bigger than others based on the matchup.”
Beyond sixth man Gordon, the second unit remains in flux, Rankin notes. Even Okogie’s spot is not guaranteed, due to subpar perimeter shooting. Nassir Little or Jordan Goodwin could emerge as alternatives.

Suns Notes: Gordon, Booker, Beal, Okogie

December 25th, 2023 at 12:56pm CST by Luke Adams

After Eric Gordon attempted a season-low two shots from the floor on Friday and told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report that he’d like to have a bigger role in the Suns‘ offense, Devin Booker didn’t disagree with his teammate’s assessment, telling reporters on Sunday that Phoenix could benefit from getting the veteran guard more involved.

“I think we just have to find ways to open up looks for him and put him a position to do what he does,” Booker said, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link). “Nobody takes what he said personal around here. He’s been in this for a long time. He’s earned that respect and he has the talent to do what he said.”

As we detailed on Saturday, Gordon has averaged just 9.8 points on 8.8 shots per night during the Suns’ recent 3-8 stretch. He posted 14.9 points on 12.1 attempts per night (with a .469/.404/.786 shooting line) through his first 16 games with the club, which included 11 wins.

Gordon, who is celebrating his 36th birthday today, said on Sunday that head coach Frank Vogel has put an emphasis on getting him more involved offensively, per Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link).

Here’s more on the Suns, who are in action in the late Christmas Day game vs. Dallas:

Bradley Beal is hoping to return “much sooner” from his right ankle sprain that the team initially projected, but Vogel isn’t necessarily counting on that. Speaking on Sunday to reporters, Vogel said Beal remains “hobbled” and has still only done non-contact work in practices (Twitter video link via PHNX Sports). “If he gets healthier sooner, then he’ll be back sooner,” Vogel said. “But the expectation is he’s probably gonna be (out) until January.”
Suns wing Josh Okogie appears set to return on Monday after missing the past five games due to a hip flexor. He’s listed as probable and is expected to play, per Vogel (Twitter link via Bourguet). Prior to his injury, Okogie started 11 of 23 games for Phoenix.
In a story for The Arizona Republic, Rankin lists six items on the Suns’ Christmas wish list, including getting Beal back as soon as possible and breaking out of a shooting slump from beyond the arc.