Even throughout the internal changes and slight roster tweaks, I noted how standout wing Ochai Agbaji, who blossomed into a superb three-point shooter last year with Toronto after looking like a lost cause the year prior, could find a new role on this Raptors squad as a plug-in defender who can help disrupt the opposition. He’s definitely shown glimpses in that role so far in the small 2025-26 season sample.
Given Agbaji's shared position with a host of other players like Jamison Battle, Gradey Dick, and Ja'Kobe Walter — each of whom is equally eager to earn a regular spot in the rotation — it appeared as though the 2022 lottery pick was bound to hit the trade block. Losing such a complimentary asset would be a sad blow, but since Agbaji is also on an expiring deal, finding him a new home could help clear up the logjam and return assets to Toronto, especially for a guy who could just walk into free agency for nothing anyway.
But alas, the Raptors chose to stay the course with Agbaji and keep him around to kick off the 2025-26 campaign. Unfortunately, this season has done the complete opposite of making Agbaji look like an appealing asset for contenders to explore. He is clearly struggling to adapt to his limited role, having seen his playing time drop significantly from 27.2 minutes last year to now just 13.8 minutes. When a player's minutes are cut in half, it becomes extremely difficult for them to produce at the same level in a more condensed role.
Struggling to find his rhythm, the Raptors might've wasted Ochai Agbaji
Agbaji looked okay in the Raptors preseason, but I noticed a red flag early on — he quickly lost his three-point touch, averaging only 26.7 percent. Those struggles have continued into the 2025-26 Raptors season, where Agbaji is shooting an atrocious 0.91 percent from three. He’s barely taking any of his previously standout shots anymore, only attempting 1.4 per game. Simply put, having Agbaji on the floor has been hurting his value, and it reflects poorly on the front office for playing too long of a waiting game with such a tradable asset.
I think the days of Agbaji shining as part of the Raptors' core have unfortunately come to an end, and it seems the coaching staff has started to notice his decline or lack of usefulness in the rotation. NBA analyst Keith Smith highlighted this in a recent X post:
Rotation change I'm keeping an eye on:
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 5, 2025
Ja'Kobe Walter has moved ahead of Ochai Agbaji in the Raptors rotation, for now at least. Neither Walter nor Agbaji has done much so far this year, but Walter put together a nice game against the Bucks last night.
I still believe that last year's breakout (39.9% from deep, sinking 1.6 of his 3.9 attempts per game) combined with solid defensive intensity is enough to convince teams of his value as an ideal 3-and-D wing. I don't think Agbaji can do much with less than 15 minutes a night, but if a contender finds a way to give him 20 or more minutes, he can really make an impact in that role — positively, of course.
For now, Agbaji could be stuck rotting away on the Raptors bench until they see him as a good fit for a specific matchup, or perhaps an eager suitor can lure him away ASAP and unleash his potential.