Nets land Agbaji in three-team swap

Ochai Agbaji is reportedly the newest member of the Brooklyn Nets following Wednesday’s three-team trade with Toronto and the Los Angeles Clippers. Photo: Howard Lao/AP

The Nets didn’t wait until Thursday’s NBA trade deadline to get busy making moves.

Though their first one won’t exactly stir up memories of 2023, when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving left Downtown Brooklyn.

ESPN reported Wednesday night that the Nets had acquired Toronto forward Ochai Agbaji, a 2032 second-round pick and some cash to clear the way for Los Angeles Clippers veteran guard Chris Paul to join the Raptors.

Agbaji, who was originally drafted by Cleveland in 2022 and subsequently dealt to Utah, has career averages of 7.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists through his first 3 ½ seasons in the league.

He was putting up 4.3 points on 42% shooting for Toronto this year in 42 games, including 13 starts.

The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Milwaukee, Wisconsin native played at the University of Kansas, where consensus First Team All-American honors before the Cavaliers took him 14th overall.

Mired in a 3-16 slide since the start of the new year, the Nets (13-36) will have to rest of the season to determine if Agbaji, who was traded from the Jazz to Toronto, fits into their ongoing rebuild.

Agbaji averaged 6.5 points per contest in two meetings with Brooklyn this season, including a 96-81 loss to the Nets at Barclays Center on Dec. 21.

The 25-year-old had his best season in 2024-25, shooting a tick below 40% from 3-point range while averaging a career-high 10.4 points over 64 games, including 45 starts.

With Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET cutoff for trades, Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks will doubtlessly keep his ears open as he continues to stockpile picks for veteran talent.

Last June, the Nets came home with an historic haul of five first-rounders, including eighth overall pick Egor Dёmin, who could spend time alongside Agbaji in the Brooklyn back court.

Leading scorer Michael Porter Jr, high-flying center Nic Claxton and reserve shooting guard Cam Thomas may be coveted by teams chasing a title or a playoff spot.

The Nets are slated to visit Orlando on Thursday night for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

After getting blown out by LeBron James and the Lakers, Michael Porter Jr. and the Nets will be in Orlando on Thursday, hours after the NBA trade deadline. Photo: Frank Franklin II/AP

Brooklyn is coming off another blowout loss, this time at the hands of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, who walked out of Barclays with a 125-109 victory on Tuesday after leading by as many as 39 points.

The Nets were buried 130-77 in Detroit on Sunday, marking the second time in less than two weeks that an opponent has posted its largest margin of victory in franchise history against them.

On Jan. 21, the Knicks posted a team record-setting 120-66 triumph over Brooklyn at Madison Square Garden. 

The Nets have lost nine of their last 10 overall, with the lone win during that stretch coming in Utah last Friday, when Porter sat out and Dёmin torched the Jazz for 25 points and 10 boards.

Brooklyn second-year coach Jordi Fernández has called out his team several times for lack of commitment and perseverance in the face of adversity.

The Nets have also been slow starters of late, getting outscored by a whopping 45-23 count in Tuesday’s home loss to Los Angeles.

“If you’re not making shots, if you … get discouraged and drop your shoulders for sure (it will carry over to the defensive side),” he noted after Brooklyn went a dismal 2-for-20 on 3-pointers in the first half vs. the Lakers.

“But regardless (of whether) we make shots or not, we should be disciplined because those are the things we can control.”

Thomas, who was relegated to bench duty following a five-week absence for a strained left hamstring, would have to waive his no-trade clause to get out of Brooklyn.

Claxton inked a four-year, $100 million pact prior to last season, presumably as part of the Nets’ future.

Porter just got here from Denver last summer and has lived up to his role as a veteran leader on the youngest roster in the NBA. He is averaging 25.5 points per game and also leads Brooklyn with 7.3 rebounds.

He missed consecutive games for personal reasons before amassing 21 points and 10 rebounds vs. L.A. on Tuesday. However, his 0-for-9 effort from beyond the arc contributed to the Nets’ shooting woes and greatly aided the Lakers’ transition game, resulting in 31 fast-break points.

Thomas is listed as out for Thursday’s contest for personal reasons while Agbaji has day-to-day status pending his arrival.

The Magic (25-24) have already dealt Tyus Jones to Charlotte for cash considerations.

Orlando has dropped six of its last eight games, including a 128-92 defeat at defending NBA champion Oklahoma City on Tuesday.

Jalen Suggs scored 20 points and Paolo Banchero added 17 for the Magic, who are still without leading scorer Franz Wagner due to a high ankle sprain.

Wagner also sat out Orlando’s 104-103 victory over Brooklyn at Barclays on Jan. 7. Banchero led the Magic with 30 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and a game-winning buzzer-beater in that meeting.

The last time the Nets saw Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, he was celebrating a game-winning buzzer-beating overtime 3-pointer at Barclays Center. Photo: Frank Franklin II/AP

Orlando took the initial encounter 105-98 at the Kia Center behind 25 points from Wagner.

The game will air locally on the YES Network.

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