Cavs, Ochai Agbaji Think His Best Is Still Yet To Come

Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman believes first-round pick Ochai Agbaji will give the team a boost from the perimeter. And that is something the Cavs identified as an offseason need.

“We were one game away from the playoffs,” Altman said. “I do think there’s a need for that shooting piece. Not just standstill shooting, but guys that can sprint off pin-downs and even if they’re not getting the ball you have to account for their movement. He does several different actions that create meaningful offense. We got a little bogged down last year, a little stagnant at times. Maybe he can sort of turn it up and make us harder to guard right away.”

Agbaji will join a fairly crowded wing position that already includes Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman. And of course, Collin Sexton should he return after testing restricted free agency.

But without a doubt, Agbaji will get every opportunity if he can be an impactful shooter. Altman does seem to like that Agbaji played all four years at Kansas and at 22 years old, is presumably NBA-ready.

“Definitely different than the last three or four years in terms of what we’re looking for,” Altman said. “This was more about who can come in and really help us, help this team achieve. It was a different process in terms of trying to find the most upside swing talent versus who can be the best fit. Certainly more of a finished product than what we’ve drafted in the past.”

In a time where the NBA Draft keeps getting younger, and teams pay big money to develop players, Ogbaji’s stock may have actually dropped because of his age. He will enter as a rookie who is older or the same age as some of the Cavs’ two- or three-year veterans. But he views it as a plus.

“I mean, everyone finds their own place and way into the league, no matter what age,” Agbaji said. “If I am older than some guys here, it doesn’t matter. Basketball is basketball and I’m just excited to be with this team.”

Ogbaji is 6-foot-5 and averaged 18.8 points as a senior last season, shooting 41 percent on 3-pointers. In the old days, that would qualify him as a top five pick. But today, everything in the draft is about “upside” Some scouts felt as if he’s already hit his ceiling. He insisted that’s not the case.

“That’s just more motivation to get better,” Agbaji said. “I think as my progression and my years have gone by, I feel like I’m only getting better, and with that last summer, what I have learned, applying that to my career moving forward is just even more motivating to me.”