Suns wing Josh Okogie went through many emotions at NBA trade deadline

When the NBA trade deadline came and went, the Phoenix Suns made the biggest trade of the year, landing Kevin Durant for Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and a slew of picks.

Wing player Josh Okogie joined the Run Your Race Podcast on the Tidal League Network hosted by Theo Pinson, and after hearing rumors leading up to the deal, he had no idea whether or not he would be traded or just thrown in on any package.

The night Durant was acquired and Okogie knew a potential trade was looming, his agent gave him quite the scare.

“My agent called while we were playing cards earlier that night,” Okogie told Tidal League. “My heart was beating. ‘I’ll be right back y’all.’ Went to the bathroom and said, ‘what’s up?’ He responded, ‘I just wanted to check on you.’

“I said, ‘Bro, it is the trade deadline! Do not call me until 1 p.m. tomorrow! Don’t call me. Don’t call me. Do not check on me until 1 p.m. tomorrow.’ Over there scaring me like that. I am thinking I am not about to go back to play cards with the fellas.”

Although the wing player was excited to stay with the Suns, he said Johnson and Bridges were the first to people to help him get acclimated to the Valley when he signed in Phoenix.

Okogie said those two were what made the team feel like a family. It was really tough for them to leave but he is thrilled to see them both hooping in Brooklyn with the Nets.

The Suns’ wing was asked how his role has changed since Durant joined the team and his answer was quite simple.

“My job was to get offensive rebounds,” Okogie said.

“But this is what I am saying about offensive rebounds, that (expletive) just be going in. I’m like, ‘crash (swish), crash (swish), Book, CP3, DA, KD.’ I am not saying I want the offensive rebounds, it’s just my observation now based on how they were before. The one time I told myself he was going to make it, that thing bounce right to where I would have been.”