Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that Aleksej Pokusevski, a forward, is anticipated to sign with the Hornets. After being cut by the Thunder on Friday and clearing waivers on Sunday, Pokusevski became a free agent.
Though health problems hampered his growth, the No. 17 overall pick in the 2020 draft in Oklahoma City showed a lot of promise in his first three and a half NBA seasons.
Due to a leg fracture that kept him out of action for around three months, he was only able to play in 34 games (25 starts) in 2022–2023. In the spring of 2023, he broke his arm during a practice, and this past September, he sprained his ankle.
In his 34 games, Pokusevski averaged 8.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 20.6 minutes per game in 22–23. He also had career-best shooting percentages of 36.5% from three-point range and 43.4% from the field. However, those injuries cut short the 7-footer’s season, and he played just 60 minutes in 10 games for the Thunder this season, mostly in garbage time.
Although Pokusevski was supposedly a part of the trade that sent Gordon Hayward to Oklahoma City earlier this month, Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, and Davis Bertans were acquired by the Hornets in that transaction instead. The 22-year-old, whose $5 million contract was about to expire, was later waived by the Thunder because he was no longer in their plans.
The Hornets can now sign Pokusevski for less money; however, the specifics of his new contract are still unknown, so it’s not obvious if the team will have any influence over him after this season or if he will get paid more than the minimum.
Charlotte’s normal roster currently consists of 15 players. Marques Bolden, one of the team’s fifteen players, is, nevertheless, bound by a 10-day contract that ends this Thursday night. Pokusevski is expected to replace Bolden on the team, either once his 10-day contract expires or possibly sooner if the Hornets decide to end it before then.
The Hornets, who are currently 15-42, are not even close to being in the Eastern Conference play-in picture, despite their recent hot streak. As a result, they will have the last month and a half of the season to deploy Pokusevski in low-pressure games.
