Timberwolves

What is Josh Okogie's Future on Chris Finch's Wolves?

Photo Credit: Chuck Cook (USA TODAY Sports)

On bad teams, there are always players that find a special place in the hearts of fans. They are usually described as gritty and tough. Your uncle might like them ‘because they leave it all out on the court,’ or ‘put their body on the line.’

They are usually a second-round draft pick or even an undrafted free agent who has been given a chance. Often, once the team is actually good, their flaws are exposed, and there is no longer a place for them on the roster.

Assuming the Wolves plan to be good sooner rather than later, we will likely find out whether Josh Okogie is one of those players who will find a permanent and meaningful place on the team or slip away into obscurity.

I think I speak for us all when I say that I hope from the bottom of my heart that there is a role for him on the Minnesota Timberwolves going forward. The last time I was in the Twin Cities, I was at the game where JO blocked James Harden in his rookie year. At that time, he exuded a swagger on the defensive end. He was a rookie with a funky jumper, but there was time to improve.

Two years later, he is probably the only Timberwolves player of that timespan that I don’t feel nauseous about playing 1-on-1 defense in the clutch. Although he’s found a little on ball help this year in Jaden McDaniels, Okogie usually checks the opposing team’s most dynamic scorer.

However, the jumper hasn’t improved. To this day, he is a career 27 percent 3-point shooter. The defense has become expected. As the Wolves hopefully pivot to winning more games than they lose next year, Okogie will have to be at least passable offensively.

On Friday night in Boston, he was just that. After a strange start that involved blowing the coverage on Jaylen Brown for a wide-open alley-oop and missing two fast-break layups — although he was probably fouled on both — JO ended the night with a season-high 16 points and four steals. He also had a good deal of the nitty-gritty stuff that doesn’t show up on the box score.

I don’t want to go into the defense too much, but it is essential to mention as it is the foundation for what makes him a worthwhile player when used correctly. This game was an interesting microcosm for what JO could be for this team.

His feet are swift and how he fought over screens against the Boston Celtics proves that he can defend point guards if he needs to.

Okogie generally knows when to gamble on getting into passing lanes, but he doesn’t overcommit like Edwards is becoming prone to. It’s more an arm or hand lunged into the right area to force a deflection or a turnover than a full-blown jump.

Down the stretch of the fourth quarter, Okogie was the only player who could do anything to stymie a burning hot Jayson Tatum, turning a 3s-fest into a contested midrange jumper brigade to help force overtime.

But we know about the defense. If JO is to be a playoff asset to the Timberwolves — trust me, I feel just as silly writing that as you do reading it — then he will have to be a credible threat on the other end too.

It seems the most important thing for JO is for him to play with shooters. For example, there is no lineup that involves both Ricky Rubio and Okogie with 100 possessions or more this season with a positive offensive rating. If Okogie can’t cut through space, there is no hope for him to be a threat.

In full knowledge that I am completely contradicting myself here, JO’s slam right on Tristan Thompson’s head is an example of what spacing can do:

For what it’s worth, it seems that Chris Finch is working out ways for Okogie to play with shooters more. The line-up of D’Angelo Russell, Edwards, Okogie, McDaniels and Karl-Anthony Towns looks promising. Next year, I’d like to see how that goes with Malik Beasley replacing Russell and putting the ball in Edwards’ hands.

Other offensive possibilities for Okogie are limited, but other than simply improving as a shooter, they all involve his general knack for the ball. When the floor is spread, JO is suspect No. 1 to snake down the baseline and get an offensive rebound. From there, his pump-fake — however exaggerated it may seem — tends to draw fouls.

But that is less by design than by will. In terms of design, using Okgie in dribble-handoff action makes sense:

  • His defender almost always goes under, so there is a chance he will free up shooters.
  • It opens up the lane for him to cut if the ball is dropped down into the post.
  • And perhaps most importantly, it can leave him as the last man back should a fast break result from a missed shot.

To be a role player in today’s NBA, you pretty have to be able to shoot the 3. Okogie had a good night from behind the arc against Boston, hitting two open shots from the corners and missing two heaves at the buzzer.

To be useful in crunch time when he is most needed, Okogie will have to have more nights where he is an effective shooter from distance, especially from the corner. At this stage, it feels unlikely that he will ever be a true threat from 3. But while sometimes feels as if he has been on the team for an eternity, JO is yet to celebrate his 23rd birthday. There is still time, but it will have to come soon.

Okogie is someone Wolves fans want to succeed not only because of his infectious playing style but because he seems a genuinely good person. After three short seasons, he is already one of the longest-tenured Wolves on the roster. Videos of him out enjoying himself on the lakes in the summer proved what we already felt: He’s a player who has not only accepted Minneapolis but wants to be a part of the fabric of it.

Here’s hoping he can be.

Timberwolves
Jordan McLaughlin’s Adaptability Remains Invaluable For the Wolves
By Jonah Maves - Mar 28, 2024
Timberwolves
Draymond Green’s Antics Are Beneath the Wolves
By Andrew Dukowitz - Mar 27, 2024
Timberwolves

The Wolves Unlocked Something By Starting Naz Reid

Photo Credit: Chuck Cook (USA TODAY Sports)

Naz Reid. Those two words were the only thing you could see or hear inside Target Center on Friday after in-arena host Jon Berry instructed the sold-out […]

Continue Reading