The Hornets have been active this offseason, pursuing trades to strengthen their roster and improve their standing for next season. As part of these strategic moves, they’ve reportedly made a surprising decision regarding Okogie’s future, capturing the attention of other NBA franchises.

Despite being recognized as one of the league’s premier defenders, a report by Evan Sidery of Forbes reveals that Okogie and the Hornets are set to part ways. The team has reportedly decided to waive the defensive standout, a move triggered by a recent contract guarantee deadline on Tuesday.

Sidery reported on his social media account on X, “The Hornets will be waiving Josh Okogie after attempting to find a trade before his contract guarantee date today. Okogie instantly becomes one of the best wing defenders available in unrestricted free agency who will only command a veteran’s minimum salary.”

Okogie’s impact during stint with the Hornets

As Okogie transitioned from the Suns to the Hornets during the closing stretch of the NBA regular season, he made a commendable effort to leave a mark with impressive performances. Despite his brief tenure, the 26-year-old has now become a sought-after free agent, poised to attract interest from multiple franchises looking to strengthen their rosters for the upcoming season.

In 15 appearances with the Hornets, Okogie started in six games, averaging 8.9 points per contest. He maintained a solid 45% conversion rate on two-point attempts, while posting a 32% success rate from beyond the arc. Defensively, he contributed 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, showcasing his versatility on the court.

Are there any prospective suitors for Okogie?

With Okogie set to explore free agency, his future destination remains uncertain. As teams recalibrate following the trade deadline, specific franchises expressing interest in acquiring him have yet to emerge. However, organizations such as the Golden State Warriors, who have yet to finalize their offseason player acquisitions, might view Okogie as a viable candidate to enhance their defensive lineup.

Given the scarcity of available defensive talent in the market, Okogie stands to generate significant interest. As teams continue to solidify their lineups, his availability is anticipated to create considerable buzz, with several franchises likely vying for his skillset and defensive capabilities.

With a 5-1 start to the NBA regular season, Durant’s standout performances have made a noticeable impact on the Suns. According to Okogie, Durant’s presence provides a different feel on the floor as he embraces the leadership role.

“Kevin is Kevin, you know?” Okogie said, addressing Smith’s comments. “People say his leadership isn’t this or that, but leadership is leadership—you can’t force it. We can’t say it’s not real leadership if it doesn’t fit a certain mold.”

Okogie continued, “Everyone has their own way of motivating others. Some are the vocal types, but that’s not us. We’re all about results—it’s either you do it, or you don’t.”

Okogie on Durant’s role with the team

Beyond Durant’s leadership style, Okogie highlighted Durant’s supportive approach with his teammates: “Kevin is a good guy who makes sure everybody’s held accountable. He won’t yell at you, just sometimes when there are missed things, but for the most part he just makes sure what’s expected from you and make sure you go out there in your job.”

Okogie added: “He does a good job, going up in doing his job, it makes you see the work ethic that he puts in and makes you force you to do your job. People just like to use him as an easy target. He does a good job not listening too long sometimes in Twitter.“

An example of Durant’s leadership

Okogie also provided an example of Durant’s leadership on the floor: “We’re turning the ball over, he’ll say in timeouts, ‘We got to stop turning the ball over.’ If I have 5 turnovers, ‘JO, get your head in the game. Stop turning the ***’ ball over’ but he ain’t gonna ‘RAH RAH RAH RAH!’”

With 16 years in the NBA, Durant’s impact goes beyond his stats and accolades. From his early days with the Thunder to his current role with the Suns, Durant’s reputation as a player and leader has only grown stronger.

The Phoenix Suns were one of the favorite teams that reached the 2023 Playoffs last season. They had one of the best rosters that ultimately gave the franchise a strong record at 45-37 overall and the second spot within the Western Pacific Division.

However, they were eliminated early in the postseason in what was a painful loss against the current NBA Champions Denver Nuggets by 2-4. Despite the fact that the playoffs were a disappointment, it is likely that they will return stronger than before for the upcoming 2023-2024 season.

The only weak point the Phoenix Suns will have in the upcoming season will be the absence of a veteran like Chris Paul, but they still have Kevin Durant to lead the franchise for at least another season.

Who is the player that the Suns re-signed?

The player who recently signed a new contract with the Phoenix Suns was Josh Okogie. The team posted an image on Twitter where he is signing what would be his new contract with the franchise for $2,346,614 (spotrac estimate). He will earn $378,439 more than last season.

He has been playing with the Phoenix Suns since the 2022-2023 season where he played in 72 games and started just 26 for an average of 7.3 points per game, 33.5% threes and 0.5 blocks per game. Kevin Durant could benefit from a player like him since Okogie is one of the best bench backups to keep the score up.