Former KU guards Ochai Agbaji, Gradey Dick see boost in their finances this week
It’s been a good week financially for former University of Kansas men’s basketball guards Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji.
The Toronto Raptors of the NBA exercised contract options on the two players Tuesday. The team had faced a deadline for deciding whether to reward the pair of former lottery picks or let them become free agents this coming offseason.
The Raptors picked up the third year of Dick’s rookie deal and fourth year of Agbaji’s rookie contract. Both players are now signed through the 2025-26 NBA season.
For Wichita native Dick, this means he will earn $4,990,560 during the 2025-26 season after being paid $4,763,760 this year. As a rookie, he earned $4,536,720.
For Kansas City native Agbaji, it means he’ll earn $6,383,525 in 2025-26 after making $4,310,280 this season, $4,114,200 in 2023-24 and $3,918,360 in his rookie campaign.
Agbaji, 24, is averaging 11.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game for the 1-4 Raptors, who are plagued with injuries and undergoing a rebuilding process. He has made 57.5% of his shots, including 42.9% from 3-point range. He has started three games, averaging 28.0 minutes per contest.
Dick, who turns 21 on Nov. 20, has started all five games, averaging 31 minutes. He’s averaging 18.0 points a game on 48.5% shooting. He’s hit 34.4% of his 3s while contributing 1.6 assists and 1.4 rebounds a night.
Dick is coming off the highest-scoring game in his two years as a pro. He went for 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting (2-of-6 from 3) in Wednesday’s 138-133 loss at Charlotte. He also had three steals. He also scored 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting (4-of-9 from 3) in an Oct. 26 loss at Minnesota.
Mega minutes are needed from both Agbaji and Dick with Toronto’s Scottie Barnes out at least three weeks because of an orbital fracture sustained in Monday’s game against Denver. Also, Immanuel Quickley has missed four games in a row after sustaining a back injury in the opener against Cleveland.
Kelly Olynyk (back) and Bruce Brown (knee) have been out, as well, while rookies Ja’Kobe Walter and Ulrich Chomche have been on assignment in the G League.
So far, so good for Dick.
“Dick delivered the best scoring performance of his young career before fouling out, and the second-year guard is performing at a high level while doing an excellent job of handling a more significant role on offense,” wrote the RotoWire staff of cbssports.com. after the game against Charlotte.
”Dick has reached the 15-point mark in all but one of his five appearances and has reached the 20-point mark in two of his last three, so his scoring exploits have been enough to keep him relevant across all fantasy formats. He’s also shooting 48.5% from the field, which represents an upgrade compared to his rookie year in 2023-24 (when he shot 42.5% overall; 36.5% from 3),” cbssports.com wrote.
Dick, listed as 6-foot-6, 215, has said he’s gained 10 to 15 pounds since his rookie season.
“Last year when he walked in he could barely dunk the ball,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic told sportsnet.ca. “And now he’s playing above the rim a little bit easier, he’s not shying away from contact offensively and defensively. I think it’s going to help his overall game, feeling more confident in his body that he’s capable of doing things. He’s a big guy … he can cover multiple positions. I expect a lot from him to bring the physicality and learn to use his body because I think he’s added around 15 pounds this off-season.”
“He’s doing a much better job of recognizing the spacing, recognizing windows where he can be and then to play off of his teammates,” Rajakovic said. “He’s complementing our guys really well. He can space the floor really well. He runs in transition, in offense really well. And he’s a very good cutter. He does not necessarily demand the ball, but when he gets the ball, he’s also capable to make a play from there.”
Of his ability to run the floor, Dick told sportsnet.ca: “There’s certain guys who are great cutters. It’s definitely a talent to able to know when to cut and when not to. Really, it’s just watching film on your point guards and the guys with the ball in their hands. At the same time, it’s playing off them, seeing where they are at on the court for you to cut and try to open the court for them. ...
“Most of the time you’re not really cutting for your shot, you’re cutting to open up someone else’s, and ultimately it will open space for you. The more movement, the better. If you’re kind of hesitating on when to cut or not, you’re a second too late.”
Agbaji, who scored a season-high 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting (3-of-5 from 3) against Minnesota on Oct. 26, is coming off a season in which he hit just 29.4% of 3-point attempts. He has since worked with head coach Rajakovic on hand placement for his jump shot.
“The main thing for him is to not to over-think it and also not to put too much stock in it,” Rajakovic told SI.com. “You can affect the game very efficiently if you play defense, if you rebound, if you cut, if you stop their best player. And then if you do that and get lost in that possession and you get lost in the competition, then the shot comes itself.”
