Ochai Agbaji has not had the type of fourth year in the NBA that sets him up for a payday in a contract year with the Toronto Raptors. Bobby Webster and the front office could just look to cut their losses before the NBA trade deadline. The Los Angeles Lakers could seize the opportunity.
Agbaji's role with the Raptors has been an inconsistent one this season. Playing time has not always been guaranteed, especially with a team that is loaded with young and talented options on the wings. Ochai has not done enough to convince Toronto of why his playing time should be guaranteed.
The Lakers offer no such competition. They are in desperate need of reinforcements in the 3-and-D department. The problem for Los Angeles in relation to that has been the lackluster offerings of the trade market.
With options quickly disappearing, the Lakers do not look like a team poised for a big splash move ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline. It should be a quieter time for Los Angeles this season, especially by comparison to last year.
Even so, this is the type of fringe roster move the Lakers can more than afford. Kicking the tires on a young and talented player like Agbaji, who just hasn't panned out in Toronto this season, should be right up the alley for Rob Pelinka.
Ochai Agbaji is falling out of the Raptors' plans — opening the door for the Lakers to pounce
After a promising 2024-25 season with the Raptors, Agbaji has not built on that success in 2025-26. The Raptors wing has only averaged 4.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game, shooting 42.9 percent from the field.
His 3-point production — something the Lakers would need in spades — has fallen off in particular. Agbaji is shooting 16.7 percent on 1.4 attempts from 3-point land this season.
That is rough. So, why would the Lakers bother here?
Well, Agbaji does have the athletic tools to be a capable perimeter defender for the Lakers. That is immediately desirable for a team that boasts the 24th-ranked defensive rating (116.8) in the NBA.
Agbaji is also a low-maintenance mouth to feed on offense. The former first-round pick can space out, cut to the basket, and serve primarily as an off-ball recipient of the Lakers' playmakers.
The terrific 39.9 percent from beyond the arc that Agbaji shot last season is starting to look more like an outlier campaign. However, what better place is there to test that theory than with Luka Doncic in Los Angeles?
The Lakers superstar creates plenty of easy opportunities for his teammates. If Agbaji was going to thrive anywhere as a shooter, it would be with Doncic.
It shouldn't take much to acquire him from the Raptors. Agbaji is also only 25 years old. Plus, Los Angeles can cut their losses in the offseason if things truly don't work out as one would hope.
Should the Lakers seek out a low-risk, high-reward opportunity anywhere before time runs out on them this season, this is a good gamble. Agbaji has stood out as an option since the offseason. Now is no time to back away.