The Oklahoma City Thunder have been battered by injuries to begin the 2026-27 campaign, and the bad news continues to roll in for this team. The latest guy to go down with injury is Chet Holmgren, as he is reportedly going to miss two-plus months after undergoing a procedure to treat a small right patellar tendon tear.
With Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace also both suffering long-term injuries, the Thunder are quickly running low on reliable bodies who can suit up for them. On Friday, reports emerged indicating that the team was going to sign former first-round pick Ochai Agbaji to their roster, but after receiving the news of Holmgren’s injury, the front office has reversed course and changed its mind on signing Agbaji.
Thunder Reverse Course, Opt Not to Sign Ochai Agbaji
Agbaji was selected with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, but he’s struggled to find a consistent home in the pros to this point. Through his first four seasons, Agbaji has already played for the Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, and Brooklyn Nets before heading into the 2026-27 campaign without a team.
Early on in his career, Agbaji has shown upside on both sides of the ball, but he hasn’t been nearly consistent enough to earn a role for himself. His best season came in the 2024-25 campaign with the Raptors, as he started 45 of the 64 games he appeared in and averaged 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 49.8% from the field.
During training camp, Agbaji spent time with the New York Knicks, but he ultimately didn’t make the team’s roster, resulting in him being released. It seemed like the Thunder were set to scoop up Agbaji, but after receiving the news on Holmgren’s injury, they have backed out of the deal at the last second, instead opting to reassess their roster’s needs with their All-Star center set to miss time.
The Thunder are no longer signing free agent Ochai Agbaji as the franchise takes a step back to re-evaluate its open roster spot after losing Chet Holmgren for two-plus months, per sources,” Shams Charania of ESPN reported in a post on X.
Thunder Plotting Best Path Forward After Chet Holmgren Injury News
This is a tough blow for Agbaji, but he should be able to find a new home in the near future. The problem is that with Holmgren out for an extended period of time now, the Thunder may need more help in the frontcourt than in the backcourt. They could certainly still use a guy like Agbaji, but Holmgren’s absence makes the frontcourt a more pressing need.
It remains to be seen how Oklahoma City will fill its vacant roster space, but it won’t be with Agbaji (at least for right now). In the meantime, the Thunder will roll into their upcoming contest against the Houston Rockets on Saturday night with a very shorthanded roster. Tip-off for this game is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.
Thunder Make Unexpected Decision on Former 1st-Round Pick