The NBA trade deadline is just around the corner. The Minnesota Timberwolves have been no strangers to making big deals in recent years, and one of the trades they should pursue in this regard is a Josh Okogie move. The current Houston Rockets wing is a player who had success in Minnesota earlier in his career, and a reunion makes a lot of sense.
Okogie was notably the Wolves’ first-round pick in 2018 and spent four years with the team before signing with the Phoenix Suns in 2022 after Minnesota declined to make him a qualifying offer.
Last year, the Timberwolves traded Karl-Anthony Towns for Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle. Before that, they made a blockbuster move for Rudy Gobert. Tim Connelly loves to deal, and while another deal involving superstars seems unlikely, the Timberwolves must continue to make moves to improve the roster.
The Minnesota Timberwolves should trade for Josh Okogie
Okogie has played a key 3-and-D role for all of the teams he has committed to throughout his career. Perhaps his best days came with the Timberwolves, the franchise with which he started his career. Now Okogie could find himself on the trading block. He has played well for the Rockets, but Dorian Finney-Smith, a big offseason signing, recently returned to the lineup.
Finney-Smith plays a nearly identical role to Okogie, which could make the Georgia Tech product expendable in Houston’s eyes. If that becomes the case, the Timberwolves will have to make a trade. The former first-rounder can guard two through four with success.
He can even face the opponent’s best perimeter players. Gobert is back in the running for Defensive Player of the Year because of his presence in the paint. However, a boost on offense is something the Timberwolves have needed since Nickeil Alexander-Walker left the team this offseason.
Okogie is now a much-improved shooter, as Timberwolves fans will also remember. During his four years in Minnesota, he never shot more than 30% from deep, but this year he is shooting 39.1% from deep. Anthony Edwards demands so much defensive attention that it’s always a good idea to surround him with shooters.
Point guard is still the Timberwolves’ biggest need. The team needs more playmaking help than defense, but teams can never have enough 3-and-D talent on the roster. The fact that Okogie has familiarity with some of the players on the roster doesn’t hurt either.
Bringing him in late in the season would be easier than some other trade targets because of his experience with the organization. The Timberwolves probably shouldn’t have given up Okogie when they did, but this would be the perfect time to bring him back home.
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