Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Thunder Sign Ochai Agbaji to Final Roster Spot as Injuries Mount

The Oklahoma City Thunder signed Ochai Agbaji to a standard contract on Friday, October 30, filling the open 15th spot on their standard roster as injuries wiped out much of their wing rotation in the first two weeks of the season.

The Oklahoman confirmed the signing on Friday. Reuters, citing an ESPN report, reported the same move the same day, and News9 in Oklahoma City reported that Agbaji was joining the roster to fill the final standard spot. Contract details have not been announced.

Who Agbaji is

Agbaji, 26, is a 6 foot 5 guard and wing from Kansas. Cleveland selected him with the No. 14 pick in the 2022 NBA draft after he won an NCAA title with Kansas, and he was traded to Utah less than three months after the draft. He has also played for Toronto and Brooklyn.

In 263 career NBA games, with 108 starts, Agbaji has averaged 7.2 points and 2.7 rebounds, Reuters reported. Last season, split between Toronto and Brooklyn, he averaged 5.1 points and 2.3 rebounds in 15.7 minutes, shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 26.6 percent from three point range, The Oklahoman reported. His best shooting season came with Toronto in 2024-25, when he made 39.9 percent of his three point shots on four attempts per game.

Agbaji spent training camp with the New York Knicks on a non guaranteed deal and was waived on October 15, just before the season started, which left him available when Oklahoma City needed a wing.

Why Oklahoma City needed him now

Jalen Williams underwent surgery this week for a fractured left fibula and a dislocated left ankle. The Oklahoman reported the surgery was successful and that Williams will be re-evaluated at the end of the regular season. Reuters reported he is likely out for the remainder of the season.

Cason Wallace is scheduled for surgery on a torn labrum in his left shoulder, and a timeline for his return will be set after that procedure, The Oklahoman reported. Both players were hurt in the win over the Los Angeles Clippers on October 25, a game this newsroom covered at the time.

Oklahoma City had carried only 14 players on standard contracts to open the season, keeping the last spot open. The Oklahoman reported the Thunder were 6.9 million dollars under the second apron before the signing and are expected to stay below that line after it. The team also signed wing defender Micah Peavy to a two way deal on October 23, waiving injured rookie Otega Oweh to open that spot.

The Thunder are 4 and 1 after their first loss of the season, 120 to 96 to Dallas on Wednesday. Agbaji could make his Oklahoma City debut as soon as Saturday, when the Thunder play at the undefeated Houston Rockets, Sportsnet reported.