THE FLATS – Moses Wright has won all six games he has played for Olympiacos … Should the Suns give Thaddeus Young a run? … And what of Josh Okogie? … more in this week’s #ProJackets Report.
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MOSES WRIGHT HAS NIGHT TO REMEMBER
While Olympiacos Piraeus scored a paltry 7 first-quarter points against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens to trail 7-17 after 10 minutes, Moses Wright had to watch on from the bench. But, his introduction into the game would soon see the Reds turn things around.
Wright got his first minutes on the night with 8:55 minutes to go in the second quarter and it didn’t take long for him to start impacting things, stealing the ball from a sideline pass before racing away for a big dunk that generated a huge roar inside Peace and Friendship Stadium. That slam cut the deficit to five points, 14-19.
Shortly after, the 25-year-old attacked Panathinaikos star Mathias Lessort and managed to get his layup to go while being fouled. When he converted the free throw to make it a three-point play, the score was 18-19.
The truth is that there was no stopping Wright for a stretch in the second quarter, as he scored inside once again before netting another two baskets to keep Olympiacos close, 24-26. He was perfect from the field, too, going 5-for-5 from the field and 1-for-1 from the line en route to 11 points.
More from Euroleague Basketball (includes highlight video)
Mooooses Wright! ⚡⚡#bwinMVP pic.twitter.com/Mok6OGTUVR
— Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) March 14, 2024
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SHOULD SUNS GIVE THADDEUS YOUNG A RUN?
The buyout market brings excitement, although I’ve never truly understood why. Players acquired post-trade deadline typically aren’t the level of players who are going to make a meaningful impact on the roster of the team that acquires them unless that team is in “tanking for next season” mode and their star players are “injured”.
When the Phoenix Suns picked 35-year-old Thaddeus Young up off of waivers, it was clear that he met a need of the team. Back-up rebounding depth had been concerning for the team, and Thad is a known beast on the boards. At 6’8” and 235 pounds, the former 12th pick in the 2007 NBA Draft has made a career of pushing people off of the block and using his athleticism to be effective.
Relegated to a bench role for the past three seasons, Young has averaged 6.3 rebounds per game in his 726 games as a starter. His skills have diminished with age, however, and he has truly entered journeyman status. Phoenix is his fourth team in three years. He is averaging 3.5 rebounds in 15.4 minutes played since 2021-22.
Now he is a member of the Suns, and as I stated before, they are a team that needed help rebounding from the second team unit. Prior to his signing with Phoenix on February 20, the Suns were 18th in the league in bench defensive rebounding. They had a roster spot and he filled a need.
In 10 games since joining the Suns, Thaddeus Young has seen a total of 29 minutes played in 2 appearances. This has the fan base clamoring. Why are we not seeing more of Thaddeus? It’s a valid question.
When you ask the Suns community what they think, 62% believe Young should be getting more minutes than Drew Eubanks at the backup center.
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Thaddeus Young getting up shots. #Suns pic.twitter.com/CZy4gixAta
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 20, 2024
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AND WHAT OF OKOGIE?
Okogie signed a two-year $5.7 million contract with the Suns in the 2023 offseason, but the second season is a player option. The 2018 first-round pick left Minnesota after his rookie contract expired and has spent the last two in Phoenix making the minimum or just over. Okogie could opt in for next season, but the Suns would look to move his expiring contract if they do not see a future.
The 6’4 wing has plenty to prove. He just missed nearly three weeks with an abdominal injury, but his place in the rotation has been inconsistent since mid-December. Okogie has continued to get playing time, but it ranges from 25 to five minutes per game.
For the season, he averages 4.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.9 steals in 17.0 minutes each night. The 25-year-old is shooting 41.3 percent from the field and 29.7 percent on his 3-point attempts. He is known for his plus defense, but his lack of shooting has been a consistent issue in keeping him on the floor.
Josh Okogie is still young with the potential to improve. Expect him to get another shot next season in Phoenix or elsewhere, but his chances are running out. If his defense slips, the 6’4 wing could be out of the league quickly.
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