With a roster spot open after the recent release of Nate Williams, the Houston Rockets are signing veteran guard/forward Josh Okogie to a one-year, $3.1-million contract, as first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
A 6-foot-4 wing with a long 7-foot-0 wingspan, Okogie is well regarded for his perimeter defense. In 40 games last season with the Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Hornets, the 26-year-old averaged 7.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 15.6 minutes per game.
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“Okogie enters his eighth NBA season and gives the Rockets another active wing defender,” Charania posted to X. “He averaged a career high 1.2 steals and ranked fourth in steals per 36 minutes among players to appear in 40 games or more last season.”
Okogie’s strong defense should be a good fit for head coach Ime Udoka, whose Rockets ranked in the NBA’s top five defensive units last season. Signings such as Okogie and Dorian Finney-Smith can potentially help replace any lost production from Dillon Brooks, who went to Phoenix in the blockbuster trade bringing All-Star forward Kevin Durant to Houston.
“Houston, we have a problem,” Okogie posted to X.
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While primarily known as a wing defender, it’s worth noting that Okogie shot 34.8% on 3-pointers last season, representing the best clip of his NBA career to date.
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This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets sign veteran wing defender Josh Okogie to one-year contract