Cavs will bring Ochai Agbaji along slowly, but if he hits stride, watch out

Early on this coming season, it’s tough to attach notable expectations to Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Ochai Agbaji.

Agbaji was the 14th pick in June’s draft, and that was for perimeter shooting, and a player that could slot in for stretches to space the floor.

It was hardly a shocking selection, with the Cavaliers needing more three-point shooting threats and Agbaji was often linked to Cleveland in the pre-draft process.

With Agbaji, it’s not the same situation as other recent Cavs first-round picks. Agbaji is likely not a player that’s going to start early on in his Cleveland tenure, as opposed to Darius Garland and Evan Mobley’s scenarios. Diddo for Isaac Okoro and Collin Sexton seemingly before that in 2018.

It’s going to take time next season for Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and company to figure out where to slot in Agbaji. The 2/3 outlook has a bunch of guys in the fold, whether or not Sexton is eventually back and/or signed long-term (which seems to be more of the relevant question now).

For Agbaji, though, while he’ll likely be brought along gradually, if he can find his rhythm, he could be a X-factor-type player for the Cavaliers.

Agbaji will probably be eased into things more than recent Cavs first-rounders, but if he can hit his stride, it could be quite a boost.

As we mentioned, Cleveland’s going to need to sort things out in the first part of the season, feasibly in that first month-plus, involving the 2/3 outlook. I don’t envy Bickerstaff regarding that task, either.

For Agbaji, however, if the shot comes along, he’ll find his way into the fold. He connected on 37.7 and 40.0 percent of his three-point attempts in his junior and senior seasons at Kansas, and could give the Cavaliers a jolt there. Furthermore, last season, Agbaji placed in the 94th percentile in catch-and-shoot plays, per Synergy Sports.

Agbaji’s high and really quick release leads to promise in that aspect, and he’s seemingly always loaded to shoot on the catch, and he showed he could hit triples from well beyond the college three-point line off the catch with the Jayhawks. It’ll be some of an adjustment for him with the NBA three being a bit further out, but one should be optimistic, given his perimeter shooting progression at KU.

Agbaji isn’t a guy that’s likely going to self-create often next season, or early in his career, as an aside. That said, if he can find his stroke as a deep threat via ball-swings, and off movement, that could definitely lead to his share of bench minutes.

It’ll be paramount for him to be ultra-confident as a deep shooter, of course. For young wing off-ball shooters, that’s something that can’t be overstated. With him, though, if the chances arise, and the Cavaliers can generate movement looks for him, and/or corner looks, but I do believe we should see Agbaji hoist those with little to no hesitation. And hopefully the Cavs continually stress that to him.

To reiterate, one would assume that with the plethora of others with their case for minutes, Cleveland could very well ease the Kansas product into things. I’d think that if he can be competent defensively, which I do think he could be, Agbaji could give the Cavaliers bench a notable shooting lift when he’s in.

Additionally, if there’s say a potential trade involving either Sexton, more so via sign-and-trade, or maybe Caris LeVert, which would seem like more of a possibility currently if LeVert is not extended, that could play into more Agbaji opportunities. I’d think that in matchups, Agbaji could register some time at the 3, too, for what it’s worth; we’ll have to see what shakes out.

But if he can hit his stride after some time being eased in, one would assume he could be a rotational regular if the shot translates, and he could mesh well with Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and others.