Aleksej Pokusevski News, Rumors, Updates - Charlotte Hornets

Makes move overseas Pokusevski agreed to a one-year contract with Serbian club KK Partizan on Monday, Eurohoops.net reports.

Impact The Serbian forward will return to his home country for the 2024-25 season after a four-year run in the NBA. The No. 17 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Pokusevski at times flashed intriguing shot-blocking and playmaking skills for a seven-footer, but efficiency was a major issue, as he shot just 39.1 percent from the field and 30.4 percent from three-point range while committing 1.5 turnovers in 20.4 minutes per game over 168 career contests with the Thunder and Hornets. Still just 22 years old, Pokusevski could resurface at the NBA level down the road if he's able to impress during his time in Europe.

AUGUST 12 • ROTOWIRE

Hornets keeping forward Miles Bridges after agreeing to 3-year, $75M contact, AP source says

According to a person familiar with the situation, the Charlotte Hornets have re-signed forward Miles Bridges to a three-year, $75 million contract

JULY 6 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Released by Charlotte The Hornets waived Pokusevski on Saturday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Impact Pokusevski was picked up by the Hornets on Feb. 27 after being waived by the Thunder. The 22-year-old averaged 7.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists across 19.3 minutes in 18 regular-season games with the club. Pokusevski will now enter free agency, searching for a new club after the worst statistical year of his career.

JULY 6 • ROTOWIRE

Nuggets star Nikola Jokic included on Serbia's preliminary roster for the Paris Olympics

Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic was included on Serbia’s 16-man preliminary roster for the upcoming Paris Olympics, ending doubts he would skip the basketball tournament

JUNE 10 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sees just 13 minutes Pokusevski chipped in four points (1-2 FG, 2-4 FT), four rebounds, one assist and one block in 13 minutes during Tuesday's 130-104 loss to the Mavericks.

Impact Pokusevski saw a very light workload Tuesday, as Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges combined to score 43 points in the loss. Pokusevski has played well during his time with the Hornets, averaging 7.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 18.8 minutes.

APRIL 10 • ROTOWIRE

Cleared to play in Monday's game Pokusevski (illness) is available for Monday's game against the Celtics.

Impact Pokusevski was doubtful for Monday's matchup, but he'll be able to return from a one-game absence. Assuming he's fully healthy, Pokusevski could see an uptick in playing time since Nick Richards (foot) has been ruled out.

APRIL 1 • ROTOWIRE

Doubtful for Monday Pokusevski (illness) is doubtful for Monday's game against the Celtics.

Impact Pokusevski is expected to miss his second game in a row Monday, and that's bad news for a Charlotte team that is very shorthanded. In his absence, Davis Bertans could see more run after playing 25 minutes against the Clippers on Sunday.

APRIL 1 • ROTOWIRE

Unavailable Sunday Pokusevski (illness) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Clippers.

Impact Pokusevski will miss his first contest since settling in with the Hornets after a brief G League stint. The 22-year-old averaged 7.8 points and 5.0 rebounds in 22.6 minutes across his last five appearances, which leaves a sizable workload behind for Grant Williams, Davis Bertans and potentially Leaky Black to fill.

MARCH 31 • ROTOWIRE

Questionable for Sunday Pokusevski is questionable for Saturday's game against the Clippers due to an illness.

Impact The Hornets are already very shorthanded, so they would be in rough shape if Pokusevski isn't able to play. Pokusevski has averaged 19.4 minutes in March to go with 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals.

MARCH 30 • ROTOWIRE

Solid defensive numbers off bench Pokusevski notched 11 points (4-7 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 2-3 FT), five rebounds, three assists, one block and two steals in 19 minutes off the bench during Monday's 115-92 loss to the Cavali...

Impact It was the first time all season the 22-year-old forward had scored more than 10 points. Pokusevski has worked his way into a consistent role in Charlotte's frontcourt rotation since being recalled from the G League in early March, playing double-digit minutes in seven straight games. Over that stretch, he's averaged 6.1 points, 4.1 boards, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks in 20.9 minutes a contest. It would likely take an injury ahead of him on the depth chart to put him on the fantasy radar, but Pokusevski's defensive production could be intriguing with an increased workload.

MARCH 26 • ROTOWIRE

Returns to NBA The Hornets recalled Pokusevski from the G League's Greensboro Swarm on Saturday.

Impact Pokusevski will return to the NBA after a short stint in the G League. However, the 21-year-old big man is unlikely to receive significant playing time for the Hornets.

MARCH 9 • ROTOWIRE

Recalled to Hornets Charlotte recalled Pokusevski from the G League's Greensboro Swarm on Monday.

Impact Pokusevski will likely get some opportunities to impress with the Hornets down the stretch, as they are dealing with a ton of injuries all over the roster.

MARCH 4 • ROTOWIRE

Signs with Charlotte Pokusevski has agreed to a contract with Charlotte after being waived by Oklahoma City last week, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

Impact Pokusevski, 17th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, has dealt with a myriad of injuries across his first three-plus seasons in Oklahoma City. However, the 22-year-old, 7-foot Serbian flashed potential in 24 healthy contests as a starter last year, posting 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks on 45.2/39.5/70.4 percent shooting. A skinny frame likely precludes him from evolving into a full-time center despite his height, but he will likely take priority over JT Thor for third-string minutes in the Hornets' frontcourt moving forward. He is a candidate to ramp up with Charlotte's G League affiliate as well.

FEBRUARY 27 • ROTOWIRE

Former First-Round Aleksej Pokusevski Waived By OKC Thunder The Oklahoma City Thunder announced on Friday that the team has waived former first-round pick Aleksej Pokusevski.

FEBRUARY 23 • SUNHERALD.COM

Thunder waive ex-starter Aleksej Pokusevski The Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday waived forward Aleksej Pokusevski, a former starter and the No.17 overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draf...

FEBRUARY 23 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Parting ways with Oklahoma City The Thunder waived Pokusevski on Friday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Impact Pokusevski averaged over 20 minutes per game in each of his first three seasons with the Thunder, but his role declined during the 2023-24 campaign. He's made just 10 appearances, averaging 1.2 points in 6.0 minutes per game. The 22-year-old will now attempt to seek out other opportunities.

FEBRUARY 23 • ROTOWIRE

Rare appearance in loss Pokusevski had zero points (0-1 FG, 0-1 3Pt) across six minutes during Saturday's 146-111 loss to the Mavericks.

Impact Pokusevski played for just the 10th time this season, failing to score in six minutes. The once fantasy-darling has basically fallen out of the rotation in Oklahoma City, scoring a total of just 12 points across his 10 games played. The is no reason to consider him an asset, even in the deepest of leagues.

FEBRUARY 11 • ROTOWIRE

Mark Daigneault Explains Aleksej Pokusevski's Lack of Playing Time Oklahoma City has a deep group of contributors, which makes it hard to carve out playing time for everyone.

JANUARY 24 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Mark Daigneault Explains Aleksej Pokusevski's Lack of Playing Time Oklahoma City has a deep group of contributors, which makes it hard to carve out playing time for everyone.

JANUARY 24 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Recalled to Thunder The Thunder recalled Pokusevski from the G League's Oklahoma City Blue on Tuesday, Andrew Schlecht of The Athletic reports.

Impact Pokusevski will rejoin the Thunder after being sent to the G League earlier in the day to presumably practice. Tre Mann and Ousmane Dieng will be recalled alongside Pokusevski in advance of Wednesday's game against Chicago.

NOVEMBER 21, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Logs five minutes in blowout Pokusevski finished with zero points (0-1 FG, 0-1 3Pt), one rebound and one assist across five minutes during Tuesday's 123-87 victory over the Spurs.

Impact Pokusevski re-entered the rotation Tuesday, playing five minutes of garbage time. Often viewed as a speculative per-minute asset, Pokusevski now finds himself in a tough spot, surrounded by a team looking to push for wins as opposed to draft picks. In a nutshell, he can be ignored in just about every format.

NOVEMBER 15, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Off injury report Pokusevski (ankle) has no injury designation for Wednesday's regular-season opener against Houston.

Impact Pokusevski's recovery was ahead of schedule as of Oct. 18, and it appears that the 21-year-old will be active for the start of the regular season. He'll likely be ramped up with extreme caution, but Pokusevski could cut into minutes for Ousmane Dieng when fully healthy.

OCTOBER 24, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Aleksej Pokusevski Set to Become Restricted Free Agent in 2024 Pokusevski was let without a contract extension from the Oklahoma City Thunder at the deadline, meaning he will be a restricted free agent i...

OCTOBER 24, 2023 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Ahead of schedule Coach Mark Daigneault said Wednesday that Pokusevski's (ankle) rehab is "accelerating better than we thought," Rylan Stiles of FanSided.com reports.

Impact Pokusevski sprained his right ankle during an offseason workout in September and was slated to be re-evaluated in six weeks. While his rehab appears to be going well, the fourth-year forward will likely still miss the start of the regular season. When healthy, he'll presumably be outside of the rotation now that Chet Holmgren is back in the picture, but Pokusevski could quickly carve out a reserve role if the Thunder's frontcourt suffers an injury or two. Pokusevski has averaged at least 20 minutes per game in each of his first three NBA seasons.

OCTOBER 18, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

OKC Thunder Forward Aleksej Pokusevski Ruled Out for Six to Eight Weeks As announced Wednesday, Pokusevski will be sidelined for around six to eight weeks with an ankle injury sustained during an offseason workou...

SEPTEMBER 21, 2023 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

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Hornets keeping forward Miles Bridges after agreeing to 3-year, $75M contact, AP source says

Nuggets star Nikola Jokic included on Serbia's preliminary roster for the Paris Olympics