Josh Okogie proves his worth: Should he be in the Hornets' plans?

It took him a little while to get acclimated, but Josh Okogie has arrived. The Charlotte Hornets added him to help match salaries with the Phoenix Suns when they traded Nick Richards and initially were reportedly looking at flipping him. A few games later, that may not be the wisest decision.

Of course, if the Hornets get blown away by an offer, they're hardly in a position to refuse. With the season slipping away and LaMelo Ball possibly out for a while, any major assets they can add for the future are more than welcome. They probably shouldn't be actively shopping Okogie, though.

Okogie has a very small sample size in Charlotte, but he certainly looks the part of the only real lockdown defender on the roster. Cody Martin is good, but Okogie had the Los Angeles Lakers frustrated last night.

These were the three possessions that prompted this tweet.

If he can continue this form as a shut down guard defender, play finisher in transition, and shoot 35%ish on a decent clip, he'll be a useful piece in Charlotte's rebuild. https://t.co/eEszTqtY8V pic.twitter.com/EMfF8HNRYi
— Matt Alquiza (@malquiza8) January 28, 2025

The stats back up that he's a great defender. They also suggest he's a really good offensive player. It's worth reiterating that this is a tiny sample size of a little over 100 minutes of NBA action. However, Okogie leads the team in offensive and defensive rating (excluding a player with less than 10 minutes on the floor).

His 123.7 offensive rating is by far the best the Hornets have. Ball's 112.8 is the best among active players right now, and Okogie's dwarfs his. On defense, Okogie's rating is 99.5, the only player with less than 100.

For reference, the best offensive rating in the NBA (among regular players) belongs to Darius Garland at 125.6. Okogie is not far behind him. The best defensive rating in the NBA is owned by Alex Caruso at 96.3. Again, Okogie is in the same general area.

Jan 27, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Max Christie (12) handles the ball against Charlotte Hornets forward Josh Okogie (12) during the second quarter at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

That won't last. The Hornets didn't find an All-NBA two-way superstar at the deadline in a trade involving Nick Richards and some second-round picks. They did, however, find a diamond in the rough who is so far proving to be a lot better than anyone expected.

The reports that the Hornets wanted to trade him for more assets came out in the immediate wake of the trade. Since then, Okogie has done nothing but force them to reconsider. Hornets fans can only hope that they are, because Okogie, who's under contract through next year, is already a massive piece of the rotation.

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