He fell out of favor and out of the rotation until the Suns’ backs were against the wall.
Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series where we do individual PLAYER REVIEWS of each man who contributed in the 2023-24 season. We go through the roster to analyze what went right/wrong for them, and what they can do to get better for next season.
Josh Okogie
- Position: Shooting Guard/Small Forward
- Vitals: 6’4”, 213 pounds, 25 years old
- Experience: 5 years
- Stats: 60 GP (11 GS), 4.6 points (41.7 FG%, 30.9 3PT%, 74.5 FT%), 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists
Contract Details
Okogie signed a two-year, $5.7 million contract last offseason (veteran minimum).
He has a player option next season.
Career Progression
Josh Okogie was once the 20th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has never possessed size as a player, but the Georgia Tech alum does have length. At 6’4”, he has a 7’0” wingspan, which greatly helps his ability to be an impact defender.
After 4 seasons with the Wolves, Okogie came to Phoenix prior to the 2022-23 season. His addition was well received as he had the potential to be an impact player, although we all knew that he left plenty to be desired as an offensive player.
2023-24 was another year in which Okogie fortified the narrative around his abilities. While his intangibles were once again apparent, his statistical production left plenty to be desired.
Regular Season Recap
You know JO?
He was someone who, when he re-signed with the Suns this past off-season, I believed was one of their low-key great signings. He had just come off of a campaign that should have seen him get paid. But he chose to stay in Phoenix. Surely his re-addition would equate to changing the narrative around a poorly constructed bench.
The 2022-23 season for Okogie was his best as a professional. He played in 72 games, starting 26 of them. He averaged 7.3 points and shot a career-high 33.5% from three-point range. His defensive intensity, ability to grab offensive rebounds (1.5 a game), and overall productivity while in games were impressive for Phoenix.
He had an abysmal playoff run in 2023, however, shooting just 14.3% from deep despite starting 5 of the 10 games he played in. Confidence was lacking and I recall an instance in which he drove into the paint, and rather than taking an easy 6-foot shot, Okogie passed the ball out to the perimeter. We all thought the same thing. “Uh oh”.
Okogie returned to Phoenix for the 2023-24 season, but with all of the Suns’ offseason signings, we didn’t know how he would slot into their plans and rotations. Would he be the fifth starter? Would he be a sixth or seventh man? Add to the mix the questions about the aforementioned lack of confidence, and we would have to wait and see with JO.
With an injured Bradley Beal at the beginning of the season, Okogie started in 8 of his first 18 appearances. He was impactful for a team that was trying to find its way. He averaged 6.9 points in those first 18 games, and even though his three-point shooting was poor (27%), he provided energy and defensive identity in the 21.7 minutes that he played.
Josh Okogie this season:
108.1 OFF RTG
107.4 DEF RTG
0.7 NET RTG
17.4 3PT%The three-point shooting has waned, just like the beginning of last season. But he is still an impact player. pic.twitter.com/964q9nfnC4
— John Voita (@DarthVoita) November 13, 2023
He positively affected the team’s attitude while on the court, but his productivity couldn’t be measured with standardized metrics. Because if you did, it was an easy argument as to why his playing time dwindled as the season progressed.
Through the first 60 games of the Suns’ season, JO played in 54 of them. He averaged 4.9 points on 41.7/29.7/74.0 splits, however. His best scoring game of the season was the opener against the Golden State Warriors, where he had 17 points.
In 59 games played in the 2023-24 season, Okogie went over the 10-point mark 12 times. He made two or more three-pointers a total of 6 times. Conversely, he shot 30% or worse in 23 games and made 0 three-pointers in 39.
His offensive limitations hurt his availability.
As the season continued and head coach Frank Vogel was trying to unlock his rotations, Okogie started to see his minutes per game dwindle. When JO hit the injury report with a hip injury in early March, that was pretty much it for his season. By April Josh was playing 2.7 minutes a game. He played in 6 games in the Suns’ final 22, but it was mostly mop-up duty. Vogel replaced him in the rotation and it was a spot he would not gain back.
Postseason Recap
Okogie played in all four of the Suns’ postseason games, although it was again after the game had been decided for the first three. It wasn’t until Game 4 that Vogel decided to give Josh a chance to play. He responded in his 14:15 played with 4 points and 3 rebounds.
But, like most of the Suns, he was a non-factor in the series.
Biggest Strength
Josh is an intangibles guy. If you delve into statistics, you’ll quickly start looking around the locker room for other players to put in his place. It’s hard to quantify what he brings as his greatest strengths are his attitude and effort.
There is a reason his nickname is Mr. Non Stop. Like that furry little bunny with a battery pack on its back, he keeps going and going. He is tenacious in the way he defends, although he is not an elite defender. He maximizes his talents with effort, engagement, and give-a-shit. If only his teammates would emulate these traits…
Biggest Weakness
His three-ball is what limits him.
Okogie, with the defensive intensity mentioned above, should be a regular rotation player. He might not have the size, but he has the heart. Due to his inability to hit three-pointers — something he sees plenty of as defenses are okay with leaving him on an island — he is hampered dramatically on that side of the floor.
Okogie shot 18-of-60 on corner three-pointers this season (30%). His 23.1% on the left side was some of the worst shooting in the league.
If he could ever develop a three-point game, he’d be hard to take out of the rotation. These limitations made it easy for Frank Vogel to pass him over late in the season.
What to Work On
Outside of three-point shooting — and shooting in general — Okogie needs to work on finishing around the rim. As silly as this may sound, 52.9% around the rim is…uh…not good. JO’s offensive game needs some serious overhaul. His energy is high but his productivity is low, making him the ultimate anomaly. And the ultimate “if they had only played him more and put him on Anthony Edwards” guy.
We’ve witnessed how valuable he can be when the offensive side of the ball is clicking. It is what stole our hearts in the middle of the 2022-23 campaign. History says that the 25-year-old is who he is: a middle-to-back-end bench player who is serviceable when injuries arise but not sustainable as a rotational player.
Likelihood of Return: 8.5
Okogie has a player option for next season, and I’m not quite sure if testing the open market is what he plans on doing. Therefore, I’m giving his likelihood of returning a solid 8.5. The Suns will welcome him back with open arms as he helps fill out the roster and can help the team when injuries arise.
Overall Grade
I am a big Okogie fan, but in the same breath, I understand who and what he is as a player. He is limited. Greatly. We want more, sure, but we need to be realistic about what he can provide.
As an NBA player, he gets a passing grade. His work ethic, grit, energy, and attitude are what keeps him playing in the league. As for our meeting expectations this season, he was average. He played himself out of the lineup, and while we may believe that he should have had more opportunities, the fact is that he did not do enough to garner the trust of the coaching staff.
- Overall grade as an NBA player: D+
- Relative grade to preseason expectations: C-