Things have not quite worked out the way they were supposed to for wing Ochai Agbaji going back to when he was first drafted, technically, by the Cavaliers with the No. 14 pick in 2022, and subsequently sent to the Jazz in the Lauri Markkanen trade. Agbaji had been seen as a versatile and solid defensive prospect coming out of Kansas, but he never developed much of an offensive game and has, in four NBA seasons, averaged only 6.7 points on 44.8% shooting and 33.9% 3-point shooting. Doesn’t sound like the kind of player the Lakers are craving these days.
And yet, the team has come pretty quickly to the bottom of the barrel in NBA free agency. Odd that they waited until this point to find the big, defensive-minded wing they so badly need, but here we are. The Lakers need a physical point-of-attack guy who can guard three positions, and those are difficult to find, especially with a bargain budget.
But the Lakers are scouring their options, and according to a report from Khobi Price of the California Post, Agbaji is under consideration, along with Zaiaire Williams and others.
“Former Nets forward Ziaire Williams has been linked to the Lakers. Ochai Agbaji is another option on the wings who looms for them.”
Lakers Seeking Jonathan Kuminga Deal
Agbaji might be the most sensible option for the Lakers–if they miss out on their top target. Ultimately, the Lakers would prefer to sign Jonathan Kuminga, the Warriors former No. 7 overall pick in 2021 who was traded to Atlanta last February after a rocky tenure with Golden State. Things did not go that well with the Hawks, either, as they declined to pick up the team option on his contract.
Signing Kuminga will take some work, because the Lakers will need to find a way to clear out some salary space for the. They’ve already traded Deandre Ayton to clear out about $2 million in room, and are looking to do the same with Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt and/or Jaden Hardy, the player they received in the Ayton trade.
Kuminga is only 24, and is a bit of a wildcard–talented and athletic, but with issues around his work ethic and coachability.
Ochai Agbaji a Solid Defender
Agbaji has bounced thought three teams already in his career, even after the Cavs trade, going from Utah to Toronto and then to Brooklyn as a filler in the Chris Paul trade. Even for a Brooklyn team that was tanking down the stretch, Agbaji averaged just 6.7 points in 16.2 minutes.
But there is at least some upside there, and the Lakers could get him on a cheap, last-chance type of minimum contract that could provide some value.
Agbaji’s offensive numbers are an obvious concern, but there is no doubt that he can pitch in defensively, and with an engine built around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves offensively, maybe that’s all that matters. Agbaji’s on/off numbers in 2025-26 between Toronto and Brooklyn were good, as his team allowed 111.4 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor, and 113.9 when he was off. That’s a net difference of 2.5 points, and the Lakers would welcome that.
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