At the beginning of the season, Josh Okogie looked like one of the NBA’s early feel-good stories - a veteran wing on a minimum deal stepping up for a young Houston Rockets team in need of stability. His energy, defense, and surprisingly hot shooting made him a standout in the opening stretch. But as the calendar turned and the grind of the season set in, Okogie’s production has cooled off - and so has his role in the Rockets’ rotation.
His most recent outing against the Utah Jazz was a rough one. In just nine minutes on the floor, Okogie failed to score, grabbed one rebound, and didn’t register an assist.
The Rockets were outscored by 15 points during his time on the court. That kind of impact - or lack thereof - raises a fair question: what exactly is Josh Okogie’s role on this team moving forward?
Let’s rewind for a moment. When Fred VanVleet went down with a devastating ACL injury late in the offseason, Houston’s backcourt rotation was suddenly wide open.
Amen Thompson, the high-upside rookie, stepped into the point guard role. But who would line up next to him?
Okogie made a strong early case. He had a solid preseason and benefited from some of the growing pains in Houston’s early double-big lineups.
Through his first 10 games, he averaged 8.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting a blistering 46.9% from three. For a player whose offensive game has always been streaky, that kind of shooting was a revelation - and it gave Houston exactly what it needed: defensive toughness and floor spacing.
But as quickly as Okogie rose, his production has dropped just as fast. Over his last eight games, he’s averaging just 4.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 0.6 assists while hitting only 26.3% of his threes. That’s a tough stretch for any wing, especially one whose offensive value is largely tied to his ability to knock down open shots.
The good news for Houston? They’ve got options.
Rookie Reed Sheppard has stepped into the shooting guard spot and looks poised to hold onto it, at least for now. He’s brought a steady presence and has shown he can mesh well with Thompson in the backcourt. Meanwhile, Aaron Holiday - who closed the game against Utah - is quietly carving out a role for himself, especially in the absence of Tari Eason.
So where does that leave Okogie?
If he can return to being a high-energy defender who occasionally hits the corner three, he still holds value. That’s the role Houston likely envisioned when they signed him.
But the early-season version of Okogie - the one who looked like a legitimate two-way contributor - raised expectations. And when he’s not hitting shots, his limitations become harder to hide.
The Rockets are in a phase where their young core is developing fast, and the margins matter. Every rotation spot counts. If Houston decides to make a move before the trade deadline, it probably won’t be a blockbuster - but rather a strategic reshuffling of their supporting cast to better complement their rising stars.
Before they get there, though, they need to answer a key question: which version of Josh Okogie is the real one? The early-season spark plug who helped space the floor and bring defensive grit? Or the recent version struggling to find his rhythm?
The answer could help shape not just Okogie’s future in Houston, but the direction the Rockets take as they continue building around their young core.