Getty Josh Okogie guards Taurean Prince
The Los Angeles Lakers are considered a landing spot for a 24-year-old guard.
On April 7, Alex Kirschenbaum of Sports Illustrated wrote that Phoenix Suns combo wing Josh Okogie is a player the Lakers could use next season. Okogie becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
“The defense-first small forward snuck into the Suns’ starting five, though many pundits (yours truly included) believed that Warren or Ross, not Okogie, would earn that starting gig alongside the other very starry starters — Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton,” Kirschenbaum wrote. “Still just 24, Okogie is about to get paid this summer, and he may just be too much for the Suns’ coffers. The team may also prefer to get a more proven scorer. The Lakers desperately need help on the wing defensively, and Okogie, capable of guarding point guard through small forward, gives them that in droves.”
Okogie is averaging 7.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists this season while shooting 39.4% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the arc and 72.3% from the free-throw line. He will have made more than $13 million in his career once the offseason starts.
Bleacher Report: Josh Okogie Poses a Dilemma for the Suns
Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale believes Okogie poses a dilemma for the Suns, who will have to decide if they want to open up their bank account to keep the swingman or let him walk for nothing.
“Most of the incumbent free agents who matter can easily stick,” Favale wrote on April 1. “Phoenix has Early Bird rights on Bismack Biyombo, Torrey Craig and Jock Landale. Damion Lee is a non-Bird free agent but hasn’t played well enough to get more than the minimum. T.J. Warren recently entered the rotation, but he’s in pretty much the same boat. Okogie poses a bigger dilemma. He has packed his usual amount of defensive punch but provided additional value as an offensive rebounder and is shooting 37 percent from deep, on reasonable volume, since the middle of January. With only his non-Bird rights, the Suns must tap into part or all of their mini mid-level exception to keep him.”
Okogie has career averages of 6.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Suns.
Kirschenbaum Likes Stephen Curry’s Brother-in-Law on the Lakers as Well
Kirschenbaum thinks Golden State Warriors All-Star point guard Stephen Curry‘s brother-in-law could be a good fit on the Lakers as well. Damion Lee, who is married to Curry’s sister, hits unrestricted free agency this offseason.
“Stephen Curry’s brother-in-law has emerged as a really critical bench shooting piece for Phoenix all year, far outperforming his current veteran’s minimum deal,” Kirschenbaum wrote. “The 30-year-old may have peaked already in the league, but he has one very, very marketable skill that the long-range-challenged Lakers lack: he’s one of the NBA’s top three-point shooters. Lee is making 45% of his 3.4 triples a night, across just 20.2 minutes per. He’s not the defender or volume shooter that Malik Beasley (the guy he’d probably replace on LA’s roster) is, but his sharpshooting acumen makes him worth a look. He could also be had for much less than Beasley’s $16.5 million team option next summer.”
Lee is second in the NBA in 3-point field goal percentage this season.