It has been nearly eight years since the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Josh Okogie out of Georgia Tech with the 20th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. After spending his first four seasons with them, it has also been a little more than four years since Okogie last appeared in a game for them.

Since that tenure with the Timberwolves, the now 27-year-old has been on three other teams, including playing this season for the Houston Rockets. Okogie provided great value for Houston on a veteran’s minimum deal worth barely more than $3 million.

As an upcoming free agent, Okogie shouldn’t command much more than the minimum again. Minnesota will need to fill some roster spots with guys on minimum contracts, and they should have interest in bringing Okogie back for his second stint with the squad.

The Timberwolves would benefit from a reunion with Josh Okogie

When Houston signed Okogie last offseason (soon after being waived by the Charlotte Hornets), he wasn’t expected to have a huge role. However, Okogie usurped Dorian Finney-Smith in the rotation as he proved to be a bust of a free agent signing for the Rockets.

This year, Okogie entered the starting lineup early in the season and ended up making 32 starts. In his 78 total appearances, the 6-foot-4 guard posted averages of 4.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 0.8 steals. In his eighth NBA season, Okogie shot a career-best 38.5 percent from 3-point range.

Never a high-usage guy, Okogie had the lowest usage rate of his career. Still, the Rockets won his minutes by more than they did when he was off the court, both in the regular season and the playoffs. He is also a very active defender who was often tasked this year with defending the opposition’s best backcourt player.

The Wolves could certainly benefit from adding a quality wing defender who can earn rotational minutes.

I think there’s a fairly good chance that the Timberwolves retains restricted free agent Jaylen Clark, but even so, Chris Finch might play Okogie over him. Okogie is at least somewhat of a threat to shoot from outside. Finch also was his head coach for half of the 2020-21 season as well as all of 2021-22.

There won’t be much the Timberwolves can do financially in signing free agents outside the organization. Finding someone at or near the minimum who has a chance to be in the rotation should be the Wolves’ goal, and Okogie is certainly capable of being a guy to do so.

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