3 Toronto Raptors who deserve a larger role next year, 3 who have earned nothing

Ochai Agbaji deserves nothing

If Bruce Brown is looking for a pick-me-up, he should look no further than his fellow import at shooting guard, former Kansas wing Ochai Agbaji. After arriving at the trade deadline, Agbaji shot just 39.1 percent from the field, and a positively frigid 21.7 percent from deep. On hot summer days Agbaji’s roommates have him practice shooting in his home to bring the temperature down.

It’s not simply a small sample size, however. Agbaji was a poor shooter in college until a breakout senior season, when he shot the lights out and was the best player on a team that won the National Championship. That one year turned out to be the exception, as he shot a middling 35.5 percent from deep as a rookie and 33.1 percent in his half-season in Utah before landing in Toronto. He hasn’t developed in any other areas of his game either, and in Las Vegas Summer League he was likely the worst third-year player there.

The theory of Agbaji is that he can defend with strength, rebound well for his position, create shots inside and knock down shots outside. Something of a “3-and-D wing-plus” who would fit onto any roster. Unfortunately, he has been a truly terrible NBA player outside of a good month or two as a rookie, and his time with the Raptors last season was a disaster.

If the Raptors didn’t have other options at the position, they could justify giving him some playing time to see if he can figure it out. Yet with Gradey Dick and Ja’Kobe Walter both showing much more promise and needing playing time at the 2, and the veteran Bruce Brown deserving some sort of role, Toronto has no reason to give Agbaji a regular rotation role. Until and unless he shows something - in preseason, in practice, in garbage time appearances - the Raptors need to pivot in other directions.