The injury bug has hit plenty of NBA teams early in the 2026-27 season, but perhaps no team has been hit harder than the Oklahoma City Thunder. They’ve been dealt two massive blows to their championship hopes, with Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace both suffering potentially season-ending injuries, and other setbacks (like with Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso) have piled up on top of it.
Fortunately, the Thunder have quality depth to hold down the fort — but some extra insurance never hurts. That’s why the Thunder addressed its open roster spot earlier today by signing wing Ochai Agbaji.
OKC gives ex-Raptor Ochai Agbaji a chance amid mounting injuries
Agbaji, of course, was a promising member of the Toronto Raptors just a few seasons ago. His start in Toronto was fairly uneventful, but he quickly turned things around and established himself as a reliable 3-and-D depth piece. His three-point shooting made a near-historic leap from his first season to the next. As roster adversity opened up more opportunity in 2024-25, Agbaji made the most of it, averaging 10.4 points on 40% shooting from deep, along with 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and nearly a steal per game (0.9).
Honestly, I viewed Ochai in much the same way Ja’Kobe Walter is regarded now: a game-ready defender who brings grit and hustle, and can knock down big threes when you need them. That’s a valuable type of player for any contender — or a team hoping to become one.
But then came a dramatic falloff last year. Agbaji’s three-point shooting basically vanished, dropping to just 18.5%. He could still give the team decent defense in his minutes, but there wasn’t much reason to play him heavily or keep him long-term. That's why Toronto let him go at the 2026 trade deadline in a three-team deal that was largely a salary dump. The Raptors got all-time great Chris Paul in return, but later waived him, and he retired afterward.
Agbaji landed in Brooklyn after the trade and showed some signs of recapturing his old Raptors magic. He shot 35% from deep in 20 games with the Nets, but that wasn’t enough to justify a return, and they let him walk in free agency.
He signed with the Knicks in the offseason and competed for a final main-roster spot, but that didn’t work out — much like it didn’t for another former Raptor, Bruce Brown. Now he’s with OKC, a strong team still with high expectations, but whose depth is being tested to its limits (Toronto knows a lot about that right now, too). That gives him a real path to prove he can still be a useful wing.
If he can simply flash a sliver of his 2024-25 form, knocking down threes at a good clip and on solid volume, and remain a serviceable defender — that may be all the Thunder can ask of Ochai as they try to make up for the losses of Williams and Wallace. It’s a low-risk, high-reward move, but the pressure is still on Agbaji.
If he doesn’t impress during this opportunity, his NBA future could be in jeopardy.
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