High Side NPN transistor load switching
You can take out the resistor completely and leave a short.  As you have already pointed out, the emitter voltage is ~23.3 (one diode drop down), so the emitter current is 23.3/500 or 46.6 ma.  Base current will be 46.6 ma/Hfe.  This would be an "emitter follower" rather than a low-side switch.