The trio of Nigeria’s D’Tigers stars Gabe Vincent, Chimezie Metu, and Josh Okogie were all involved in the jaw-dropping first day of free agency in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Vincent, whose Miami Heat side lost in the Finals to the Denver Nuggets in June, is expected to join the 17-time champion Los Angeles Lakers on a three-year deal worth around $33 million.
Free agent guard Gabe Vincent has agreed on a three-year, $33 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Vincent’s agent, Bill Neff, negotiated the new deal for a tremendous undrafted success story.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2023
The D’Tigers guard, who was undrafted in 2018, was an integral part of the Heat team this past season, where he averaged 12.6 points per game in the playoffs, finishing as the Heat’s third-best scorer behind Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
He would join LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the city of Los Angeles, providing them with a solid pick-and-roll defender and a fine spot-up shooter.
Metu, who has spent the last three years with the Sacramento Kings, has reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, where he’ll team up with compatriot Okogie, who has also resigned from the Western Conference outfit.
Free agent forward Chimezie Metu has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2023
Metu’s time with the Kings was not as productive as expected, as he averaged 6.7 points per game along with 4.0 rebounds in 162 games.
Okogie, on the other hand, started 26 of the 72 regular-season games he played last season for the Suns. The 24-year-old, who also started five of the Suns’ ten games during the playoffs, averaged 7.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in 18.8 minutes.
Free agent guard Josh Okogie has reached an agreement to return to the Phoenix Suns, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 30, 2023
The two Nigerian stars will now team up with two-time champion Kevin Durant, Suns’ franchise star Devin Booker, and their new big-money acquisition for the Washington Wizards, Bradley Beal, as the Mat Ishbia-led Suns look to win the franchise’s first ever championship.
