The Minnesota Timberwolves have a lot of work to do this offseason from a teambuilding standpoint. One of their more expendable players is Josh Okogie, who is coming off of s season which he really did not improve much.
In addition to the lack of improvement this past season, Josh Okogie is going to be extension-eligible this offseason – with him being just a year away from restricted free agency.
The decision (or question, rather) to extend Josh Okogie is a simple one. He did not really prove to be a high-level rotational player, nonetheless for a really, really bad team. There were glimples of team-altering individual defense from Okogie, but maybe the best thing for all parties would be for him to get a fresh start elsewhere – somewhere that really needs a perimeter defender where his minutes would not be buried behind Anthony Edwards and Malik Beasley.
The fit in Minnesota is very clear for Okogie – he averaged only 5 points per game on 40/27/77 shooting. But his defense, as stated, can be more-than elite at times. That’s where his value is. However, the Timberwolves have been in search of two-way wings since Robert Covington was traded away, and Okogie really does not fit that mold – he offers minimal offensively, even in a low-volume role.
Elsewhere, he would be able to serve as a defensive specialist in expansive minutes while being able to prove to other teams why he’s worth a contract extension. For the Timberwolves, they’re very close to the luxury tax line this offseason, and with Rubio’s contract ending soon – they will have the ability to pay Okogie – but at the same time, one has to think about that opportunity cost lost by not bringing in a better fit.
Let’s get into some trades.