Averaged 8+2+1 per game! The Rockets’ minimum-salary starter is recognized by superstars: Can defend and shoot, priced at 3.1 million yuan

Although Okogie, the Rockets' starting shooting guard, did not score a point in 17 minutes in the previous game, he performed well on the defensive end, and his plus-minus value was also positive. This shows that the Rockets have been winning when he is on the court, which also helped the team defeat the powerful Milwaukee Bucks.

In the 9 games this season, the Rockets have achieved 6 wins and 3 losses, and Okogie has entered the starting lineup in 7 games. His performance in the starting lineup was quite good. In the 7 games Okogie has started so far, the Rockets have a record of 6 wins and 1 loss. It can be seen that the team's winning rate was very high when Okogie started. Even if he did not score a point in the previous game, he was still able to use defense to help the team win.

This is the characteristic of an excellent role player. Even if his three-point shooting percentage is low and his touch is not good, he can make up for his offensive deficiencies through defense. Okogie is a player signed by the Rockets this summer with a one-year veteran's minimum salary of 3.1 million. He was once teammates with Durant in the Suns, so Durant knows him very well. When talking about Okogie, Durant also praised him greatly, saying that Okogie always tried his best on the court and constantly gained opportunities through second and third fights.

KD also said that Okogie's positive performance also brought rewards for him on the offensive end. He can also hit shots efficiently when teammates pass him the ball. Okogie helps the Rockets on the defensive end and makes it easier for the team on the offensive end. Although he is not a big-name star and even only received a one-year basic salary, his performance this season is completely comparable to some players with mid-level contracts.

Since Finney Smith has been absent due to injury, Okogie has taken his place well and even performed better than expected, which also won Durant's praise. Okogie is currently averaging 8.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game for the Rockets, and his three-point shooting rate is as high as 50%, which is quite outstanding. It is precisely because of the extremely high three-point shooting percentages of players such as Okogie, Shepard, and Ethan that the Rockets have become one of the strongest offensive teams in the league. They rank first in the league in three-point shooting, and Okogie plays a major role in this.

In the Rockets' starting lineup, Durant holds the maximum salary, Shen Jing's annual salary exceeds 30 million, and Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson both earn more than 10 million U.S. dollars. Only Okogie earned a meager salary but contributed top-notch performance. Without him, the Rockets really don't know who to start at the second position - a defender like Shepard who is strong in offense and weak in defense will definitely not be able to do it, and the top five lineup has also been proven to be completely unable to start. After all, the Rockets lost the two games that started with this lineup.

So Okogie became a timely blessing for the Rockets. Thanks to him, the Rockets can put together the winning lineup they have now. From this point of view, a contract of 3.1 million a year is really a bargain.