As of the time this article was published, Andre Drummond is the only player the New York Knicks have added to their roster this summer. They've re-signed players and lost Mitchell Robinson, but Drummond is the only player New York has signed to an NBA contract who wasn't here a season ago.
As the Knicks fight to avoid stagnation with a fierce training camp battle for their final two roster spots, Ochai Agbaji represents a pivotal opportunity to grow as a team despite its degree of inactivity.
Agbaji will be joined at training camp by Bruce Brown, Drew Eubanks, John Konchar, and James Wiseman as players who signed Exhibit 9 contracts with the Knicks. Each could bring something interesting to the table, with Brown and Konchar operating as the proverbial glue guys, and Eubanks and Wiseman looking the part of potentially ideal third centers.
What Agbaji brings to the table is something more dynamic, however, as a 3-and-D wing with relative youth and athleticism on his side—and a jumper that's difficult to understand.
That doesn't necessarily mean he's the ideal signing, but Brown and Konchar are 30, and Eubanks and Wiseman play down low. For a Knicks team that needs length, athleticism, and generally reliable wing depth behind starters OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart, that makes the 26-year-old Agbaji quite an intriguing option.
With length, athleticism, defensive acumen, and a jumper that may be better than advertised, Agbaji is a swing for the fences who can add something different from what the Knicks had in 2025-26.
At his best, Ochai Agbaji is a 3-and-D wing with length and athleticism
Agbaji turned heads in 2024-25 when he averaged 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.6 three-point field goals made in 27.4 minutes per game. He did so while shooting at a clip of .498/.399/.708 and defending at an elite level in on and off-ball situations.
Unfortunately, after Agbaji started 45 of his 64 appearances in 2024-25, the Toronto Raptors bumped him to the bench in favor of All-Star Brandon Ingram. The up-and-comer never seemed to recover—or so it seems.
In 42 appearances with the Raptors in 2025-26, Agbaji shot just 42.4 percent from the field and an unfathomable 18.5 percent from beyond the arc. It was a shocking decline in efficiency, but it's worth noting that he shot just 29.9 percent from three in 2023-24. Perhaps it was his efficiency that was misleading rather than his lack thereof.
For as concerning as those two woefully inefficient seasons may be, context is crucial—and it appears as though Agbaji is a better shooter than those numbers might suggest.
Knicks' current wing depth is either unknown or lackluster
Agbaji shot 39.9 percent from beyond the arc in 2024-25 and 35.5 percent as a rookie in 2022-23. He also shot 34.9 percent from distance in 20 appearances with the Brooklyn Nets in 2025-26, with the mid-season trade from Toronto seemingly helping him to remember that he knows how to shoot.
If Agbaji is closer to efficient than not with the Knicks, then New York would have a prime-age and athletic 6'5" wing whom they can trust to space the floor when one of the starters rests.
That may not seem like the greatest of luxuries, but for the Knicks, it would be. As it stands, the only proven wings they have who are 6'5" or taller and not among the starters are Jordan Clarkson, who's 34, and Landry Shamet, who's 29 and has missed at least 30 games in each of the past four seasons.
Beyond that duo is an unproven trio of up-and-comers in Mohamed Diawara, Kevin McCullar Jr., and Tyler Nickel—the latter of whom hasn't actually signed yet.
To put it simply: Having a player who's well under 30, offers ideal size for a wing, can potentially space the floor, and has actually proven themselves in the NBA would be a potentially transformative addition.
Ochai Agbaji's unwavering strength: Arguably elite defense
Clarkson is a shot creator and Shamet is an excellent spacer, which offers a degree of depth already. What Agbaji brings to the table, however, is borderline elite defense that managed to survive his tough shooting campaign in 2025-26.
Standing at 6'5" and 215 pounds with a 6'10.25" wingspan, Agbaji is one of the most well-rounded defensive wings in the NBA—and the Knicks need a player cut from that cloth.
Agbaji finished the 2024-25 campaign ranked in the 94th percentile in perimeter isolation defense and the 99th percentile in off-ball chaser defense, per Basketball Index. He also placed in the 74th percentile in rim deterrence, which showcases his ability to keep opponents away from the basket.
Agbaji declined in some respects in 2025-26, but he maintained tremendous quality by ranking in the 84th percentile in perimeter isolation defense, the 61st percentile in off-ball chaser defense, and the 85th percentile in rim deterrence.
Considering how poorly he was shooting and how limited his role became, Agbaji continuing to defend at a high level in 2025-26 is a significant feat. If he can carry that success into training camp and showcase a more stable jumper, the Knicks shouldn't hesitate to make him one of their final signings of the summer.
Agbaji has red flags that the Knicks must consider, but his capacity for 3-and-D contributions with a 6'10.25" wingspan makes him a player who can turn a stagnant summer into a chapter of growth.
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