Shooting guard Josh Okogie was officially let go by the Charlotte Hornets just hours before his $7.75 million salary for the 2025-26 season was about to become fully guaranteed, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
The Hornets had previously pushed back the guaranteed date past June 30 to look into possible trade options. President of basketball operations Jeff Peterson's failed efforts to find a trade led Charlotte to part ways with the Georgia Tech product.
Okogie joined the Hornets midway through last season in a trade that sent center Nick Richards to the Phoenix Suns. He played in 16 games for Charlotte, starting six, and averaged 8.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. Even though his time with the team was short, he showcased flashes of the defensive prowess that has characterized his NBA career.
Although he had limited playing time, Okogie proved he was a good bench player. During his time with Charlotte, he shot 45% on two-point shots and 32% from 3 while contributing on defense and rebounding. Okogie is a Georgia Tech graduate, and he is well-known for his ability to play defense, which is underscored by his mattress-maxing 7-foot wingspan at 6-foot-4.
Before joining Charlotte, Okogie played for the Suns, where he had his standout season in 2023-24. That year, he appeared in 72 games, averaging 7.3 points and hitting 33.5% of his 3-point attempts. He built on that success last season, reaching a career-high 34.8% from long range.
Okogie was selected 20th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2018 NBA Draft. After spending four seasons with the Timberwolves, he joined the Phoenix Suns in 2022. Throughout his career, he was a fierce defensive energy and high-effort teammate on every team, but his scoring has been inconsistent.
Now, a free agent with nothing holding him back, Okogie is ready to sign with a team that wants him. While his offensive skills do not pop out, his good defense will catch the eyes of teams while putting together their rosters for the 2025-26 season.
