Josh Huestis
- Height: 6’7″ (201cm), with a wingspan of over 7 feet
- Position: SF
- Age: 26
- Years of experience in the NBA: Three
- 2017-2018 salary: $1.47 million
As we broke down six months ago, Josh Huestis has the highest ceiling of all the Thunder’s wings, at least on paper. On offense, his shooting stroke is smooth, even if slow. On defense, he has been consistently converting his defensive potential into actual performance.
Huestis came into the league being touted as a great one-on-one defender who needs grooming for proper team defense. Since then, he has indeed made strides in the right direction. Watch how Huestis essentially covers the entire top perimeter by himself. Even though his footwork is choppy, his physical gifts and defensive awareness is testament to his potential.
But, things just haven’t seemed to click for him. Last season, he averaged close to 15 minutes per game (MPG) over 69 contests. And yet, even when he was handed the starting gig, Huestis failed to make the most of the opportunity. He shot a torrid 28.7% from deep and didn’t improve in his finishing around the rim.
The good news, however, he’s still an easy fit on the Thunder. Anytime Abrines or Melo sees the floor, there will be a place for Huestis and his malleable wing defense. And, his reported minimum salary range fits right into Sam Presti’s budget.
Verdict:
Josh Huestis is frankly running out of time before the narrative around “potential” expires. It’s possible that when Presti declined his $2.4 million last season, Presti wanted more flexibility for himself. But, more likely than not, with Roberson, Grant, and George back in the lineup, Huestis’ spot on the roster abruptly shrank.