Hornets, Josh Okogie agree to surprising decision on deadline of key date in contract

Josh Okogie's future remains unclear.

Jan 29, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Josh Okogie (12) gets a dunk against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Charlotte Hornets had to make a call on the future of veteran wing Josh Okogie by the end of today, considering his contract would become fully guaranteed ($7.7M) by tomorrow morning. In a somewhat surprising outcome, the two sides have agreed to push back the deadline for that decision to July 15th.

Okogie may want to stick around in Charlotte, but if, for some reason, the Hornets don't have enough roster spots, which is very much a possibility, he'll be hitting the free agent market a little bit late, assuming the move is that he's waived.

The 26-year-old appeared in 16 games for the Hornets last season after being acquired in a trade from the Phoenix Suns and averaged 8.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 38% from the floor and 32% from three.

Charlotte has to find a starting caliber option at center, and by doing so, it really puts the Hornets' roster in a crunch. They could use these next two weeks to facilitate a trade for a center, which may involve Okogie as part of the outgoing package to help salaries match. The 3&D skill set fits perfectly into Charles Lee's system, but they may just not have a spot for him.

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