Photos courtesy of the NBA via Getty Images
THE FLATS – Charlotte Hornets must decide whether to keep or trade Josh Okogie by the end of June … Marcus Georges-Hunt and Al Riyadi fall short in BSL Asia Championship … Moses Wright and Michael Devoe moving up in Euro basketball … more in this week’s #ProJackets Report.
OKOGIE’S FUTURE IN CHARLOTTE COULD BE DETERMINED SOON
It’s that time of year when the business aspect of sports comes into play, which leads to decisions that can be hard to make or decide about. One decision the Hornets will have to make this summer will be about the future of Josh Okogie, whose contract isn’t fully guaranteed for the 2025-2026 season.
Okogie was acquired by the Hornets in a deal that sent Nick Richards to Phoenix in January. The Hornets have until June 30th to waive Okogie if they choose to, but if they decide not to waive him, then his contract will become fully guaranteed for the upcoming season.
The Hornets could decide to let him go if they don’t want to pay his over seven million dollar salary for the 2025-26 season, especially if they’re looking to add players from free agency onto their roster. Another option is if the Hornets decide to deal him in a trade to acquire another player or a draft pick.
But should the Hornets consider keeping the 26-year-old forward? Okogie is one of the best defenders the team has had in recent memory, and most of the better defenders the Hornets have had over the past couple of years have been absolute liabilities on the offensive end.
The difference is Okogie is an impactful player on both ends, which could prove to be very important for a young Hornets team, who have struggled to have players that defend at a high level while being able to score the ball.
GEORGES-HUNT AND AL RIYADI FALL IN BCL ASIA CJHAMPIONSHIP
DJ Newbill nailed arguably the biggest shot of his career to help Utsunomiya Brex dethrone Al Riyadi, 94-93 and claim 2025 FIBA Basketball Champions League Asia title.
With the clock ticking down and Utsunomiya trailing by two, Newbill delivered the shot of a lifetime — a perfectly timed, high-arching, step-back three-pointer over the outstretched arm of Marcus Georges-Hunt with 23.6 seconds remaining. It wasn’t just a basket — it was a championship dagger.
Despite falling short, Al Riyadi showed immense heart and quality, delivering a championship-level performance of their own. Marcus Georges-Hunt led the fightback with 24 points and 8 assists, particularly dominating the second half as the Lebanese champions erased multiple deficits to seize a late lead.