The Rockets are reappearing for a great deal! The defender of Harden joins the Rockets at a minimum salary, and the Western Conference defenders are trembling

The Rockets made another brilliant move! "Harden Nemesis "The base salary comes to invest, and the Western Conference back will face a nightmare

The Houston Rockets' operation in the free market is once again eye-catching - according to sources, guard Josh Okogie, known for his tough defense, has reached a one-year basic salary agreement with the team. This defensive hero who has successfully restricted James Harden in key battles many times will become the "iron gate" in the Rockets' backcourt. The top defenders of the Western Conference's strongest in the new season may feel the pressure in advance.

Okogi's defensive resume has long been full of legends. The most impressive thing is his performance against Harden in many games - with his shadow-like defense, quick lateral movement speed and never giving in, he has put the scoring defender in trouble many times. In the 2022-23 season Suns vs. 76ers, Okogie made Harden make only 4 of 14 shots in a single game and missed all 7 three-pointers, which is a "lockdown" model. This defensive temperament of "not afraid of hardships" is the key trait that the Rockets were short of last season's playoffs.

For the Rockets, the value of this signing is far beyond the basic salary. Although the team has good attack power last season, the stability of the backcourt defense has always been a hidden danger. They have suffered many losses when facing top Western defenders such as Curry, Lillard, and Doncic. Okogi's arrival happened to make up for this shortcoming - he can not only defend the speed guard in the No. 1 position, but also with his 2.01-meter height and strong body, he can withstand the heavy wings in the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. This defensive coverage ability will greatly enrich the Rockets' tactical choices. On the offensive end, although Okogi is not a core scoring point, his 34.8% three-point shooting percentage and 37.1% catch and shoot efficiency last season are enough to make him play a good role of "space points" around Durant and VanVleet. More importantly, his tacit understanding with Durant during the Suns allowed him to quickly integrate into the Rocket system without a long running-in cycle.

Rockets general manager Stone did not hide his excitement about this signing: "Okoji's defensive resilience and game strength are qualities that any team in the championship need. The energy he can bring to us is far from measuring the amount of the contract. "Okoji himself also made a harsh statement on social media: "Houston fans, are you ready to see me lock the opponent? Everyone in the West, be careful. "

With Okoji joining, the Rockets' backcourt configuration can be called "in-one offense and defense" - Van Vleet controls the rhythm, Okoji is full-time locking defense, supplemented by the vitality of young players, this combination is enough to make any team in the West feel a headache in the backcourt. The Western Conference back line in the new season may really be signed for this basic salary "Defensive Maniac" trembled in advance.