The Los Angeles Lakers need a two-way wing who can defend, space the floor, and play without the ball, and Ochai Agbaji fits that need almost perfectly.
That is why an under-the-radar trade with the Toronto Raptors could end up being far more important than it looks. This type of deal would not be about upside swings or star hunting; it simply would be about fit.
Sam Vecenie recently suggested on The Game Theory Podcast that the Lakers could benefit from “taking a flyer on the reclamation of Ochai Agbaji project,” describing him as “a 3-and-D guy that won’t require the ball at all.”
For a roster built around ball-dominant players in LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, that kind of profile is not a luxury; it is, in fact, a necessity.
Agbaji’s current numbers this season with the Raptors do not jump off the page, but they also do not tell the full story. He has been stuck in a crowded wing rotation, limiting him to roughly 17 minutes per game and preventing any real rhythm from developing.
Toronto simply has more wings than minutes, and Agbaji has been the odd man out. When he is given a consistent run, the results have looked very different.
Last season, playing a career-high 27.2 minutes per night, Agbaji averaged a career-best 10.4 points while shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 39.9 percent from beyond the arc. That efficiency matters more than volume, especially on a team where shots are already spoken for.
A defensive profile the Lakers keep on searching for
Defensively, Agbaji offers something the Lakers continue to search for: a strong, athletic wing capable of handling point-of-attack assignments without needing constant help.
He is not an elite stopper, but he competes, stays attached, and uses his physical tools effectively, all traits Los Angeles has been missing on the perimeter.
Offensively, the fit is clean. Agbaji cuts with intent, runs the floor in transition, and spaces to the corners, the exact habits that get rewarded next to elite playmakers, and guess what, the Lakers have two of those. With LeBron and Doncic collapsing defenses, a willing slasher and corner shooter becomes a real weapon.
There is also a practical advantage. With only one year left on his contract, Agbaji represents a low-risk move that keeps future cap space intact. If it works, the Lakers find a long-term rotation piece. If it does not, they retain flexibility.
The Lakers have been looking into bigger names like Andrew Wiggins, but this move would be much cheaper and could be highly beneficial, as the Raptors could sell low on him.