Rockets could have an emerging Josh Okogie problem on their hands

At the start of the season, one of the NBA's most underrated storylines was the re-emergence of Josh Okogie, who signed with the Houston Rockets on a minimum contract this past offseason, as a serious contributor on both ends of the court.

Yet, as the season has worn on, Okogie's production has returned to the level that many would have expected of him, and, following a horrid performance in last night's loss to the Utah Jazz, the Rockets must begin to seriously consider what role he will play in the rotation moving forward.

Through the nine minutes he played against Utah, Okogie posted zero points, one rebound and zero assists, with the team going -15 in his time on the court. While the team has come to expect better out of Okogie this season, and can probably expect better moving forward, is he truly a reliable offensive contributor for this team?

Reed Sheppard should surmount Josh Okogie, but is an upgrade needed to cement the rotation?

With the devastating ACL injury that Fred VanVleet suffered late this past offseason, the Rockets' biggest question heading into the season, undoubtedly, surrounded the construction of their backcourt.

While it quickly became obvious that, for better or for worse, Amen Thompson would take over point guard duties, who would play alongside him at the shooting guard slot?

Okogie, with a pair of excellent performances in the preseason and some help from the struggles of the double-big lineup in the team's first couple of games, seized the opportunity. Through his first 10 games, he averaged 8.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting a remarkable 46.9% from beyond the arc.

In many ways, it appeared as though Okogie was not only filling a major need for Houston but also saving his career in the process. As an aging, smaller defender with inconsistent scoring abilities, any serious rotational value that Okogie has left starts with his 3-point shot.

Yet, over his last eight games, Okogie's production has fallen off a cliff, and his minutes have been reeled back accordingly. In that span, he's averaging 4.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.6 assists while shooting an abysmal 26.3% from 3-point range.

The Rockets, meanwhile, have options. Sheppard has seized the opportunity, and it appears as though he will be set to start at shooting guard for the near future. Moreover, Aaron Holiday was in the game for the closing minutes against the Jazz, and he looks to be re-establishing himself as a rotational player in Tari Eason's absence.

If Okogie is just another rotational guy who can play intense defense and hit a 3-pointer from time to time, he will be fulfilling exactly the role that the Rockets envisioned when they signed him. Yet, the team has come to expect more from him early in the season, and it is clear from how well they have played that the team is better when they have an additional perimeter threat on the court.

If Houston is going to make a trade this season, it will likely be one that re-shuffles their role players in order to better complement their stars. First, however, they must ascertain which version of Okogie they can expect and whether or not he is the right fit for this team.