The Los Angeles Lakers are widely predicted to land veteran 3-and-D wing Josh Okogie, who became a free agent on July 15 after the Charlotte Hornets waived him by non-guaranteeing his $7.7 million expiring contract.
LakeShowLife’s Jason Reed believes the Lakers can make a “home-run signing” by acquiring Okogie, a player who can help them immensely with his perimeter defense.
“Going out and getting a defensive stopper with the limited resources of the new second-apron league is easier said than done. The Lakers have to jump at any opportunity they get to bring in a plus defender for an affordable price,” he wrote.
Reed called Okogie “one of the better defensive guards in the entire sport” but admitted that the Nigerian-American player has offensive deficiencies. That said, he acknowledged Okogie has made considerable improvements each season.
A Solid Defender on the Wings
“His three-point percentage has consistently gone up throughout his career and he finished last season with a 34.8% mark from beyond the arc,” wrote Reed. “He shot 38.1% from three in 25 games before being traded to Charlotte.
“Anything the Lakers would get on the offensive end would be a plus. In reality, Okogie would serve best as a wing defender that can help keep the primary rotation fresh during the regular season. Okogie wouldn’t get ample playing time, he would be best getting 10-12 minutes a game.”
Okogie, acquired by the Hornets in January as part of the Nick Richards trade, averaged 8.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.8 steals in 15 games with the franchise. In nearly six seasons with the Suns, he was a consistent 3-and-D threat, posting averages of 6.1 points and 3.0 rebounds on efficient shooting percentages.
Lakers Still Have Open Roster Spots
As of July 17, the Lakers still had a few open roster spots, one of which could be given to Okogie. Fadeaway World also made a case for the Lakers to sign the 3-and-D veteran.
“A player of Okogie’s skill set would be immensely valuable to the Lakers,” read the article. “While players like [Jake] LaRavia solidify the frontcourt, the 26-year-old would seamlessly fit into the backcourt rotation, acting as a solid defensive backup for Austin Reaves.
“While the Purple and Gold may still favor Jordan Goodwin, who gave them good minutes last season, Okogie offers more from a defensive and perimeter shooting perspective.”
The Lakers signed DeAndre Ayton and Jake LaRavia in the 2025 free agency period, and re-signed Jaxon Hayes, adding to a roster that includes stars such as LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, not to mention proven role players such as Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent. The franchise is reportedly still weighing its options on players such as Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber and Shake Milton, who received limited minutes in head coach JJ Redick’s first year in charge of the team.
According to multiple insiders, the Lakers are far from finalizing their roster, and may have a few aces up their sleeve. There’s still the possibility of them trading James, who is reportedly unhappy with the franchise’s lack of urgency to build a title contender.
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