The Raptors should give up on Ochai Agbaji
The Toronto Raptors made a puzzling trade at last year's trade deadline. Generally, rebuilding teams moving off of their veteran stars want to hoard draft picks, but the Raptors took a first-round pick and sent it to the Utah Jazz for a veteran big in Kelly Olynyk and a second-year wing in Ochai Agbaji.
Perhaps the move was more about Olynyk's shooting than anything else, but it's likely that Toronto wanted to get a look at a player who was a lottery pick just two years ago. Agbaji's career got off to an inconsistent start in Utah, but perhaps the Raptors could unlock his potential in a new setting.
That did not happen down the stretch for Agbaji, who shot just 39.1 percent from the field and a ghastly 21.7 percent from 3-point range in 27 games. He was equally terrible in Las Vegas Summer League, and at this point the Raptors need to avoid pouring more resources into a lost cause.
Toronto has a starting shooting guard in Gradey Dick, a player they hope can develop into a starting shooting guard in Ja'Kobe Walter and a shooting guard starting at small forward in RJ Barrett. They don't need Agbaji even if he does put things together, and to go after that sliver of hope would mean pushing out a player who genuinely needs and deserves that playing time.
The Raptors need to give up on Ochai Agbaji and move on.