Oklahoma City is adding another wing to the mix, and this time the Thunder are turning to Ochai Agbaji.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Thunder intend to sign the free agent swingman. Oklahoma City has an open roster spot, so no additional move is needed to make it happen.
Agbaji’s track record gives the Thunder a chance to shore up the perimeter without asking for too much right away. He averaged 10.4 points and hit 39.9% of his three-pointers for Toronto in 2024-25, but his numbers and outside shooting fell off sharply last season. The Knicks then waived him after training camp this fall.
The need is real in Oklahoma City, where Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace are facing lengthy absences. Agbaji won’t be asked to cover all of that on his own, but if he can defend his spot and knock down open looks, he can still give the Thunder something they need.
Dwight Powell, meanwhile, is headed overseas for his next chapter.
Fenerbahce announced a rest-of-season agreement with the veteran big man, who had been waived before the regular season. Powell, 35, spent 763 regular-season games with Dallas after coming over from Boston during his rookie year, and he averaged 6.5 points and 4.3 rebounds for the Mavericks. In his later seasons, he handled a smaller role while still serving as a valued locker-room presence.
Dallas opted to keep its fully guaranteed contracts rather than clear space for Powell, and now he’ll get his first EuroLeague experience with a club that won the championship in 2025.
In Charlotte, Naz Reid’s night ended early in a different kind of move.
Coach Charles Lee benched him for the entire second half against Detroit after Reid “didn’t meet our standards in the first half,” Lee said, via Roderick Boone of The Boone Docs. “We look forward to him meeting our standards next game.”
Lee did not spell out what triggered the decision, but Boone reported that it involved something Reid said. The two addressed it after the game and are moving forward.
Reid came to Charlotte in the LaMelo Ball trade and is now in the second season of a five-year, $125 million deal. The Hornets are counting on him to be a major part of what they’re building, even if Wednesday served as a reminder that expectations come with that role.
In Other News...
Hornets Face A Tough .500 Test With Their Backcourt Under Pressure
The Hornets are heading into another meeting with Washington carrying a thinner backcourt than they would like, and the timing is not ideal for a team trying to stay around .500. Charlotte already has to navigate life without Coby White and Grant Williams, while Dennis Schrder is still on the injury report as questionable, leaving the rotation in a spot where every available guard matters a little more than usual.
Washington, meanwhile, gets another look at Charlotte with its top draft pick AJ Dybantsa back in the mix after making his debut, adding another layer to a matchup that already feels like a test of depth and resilience. The rematch sets up as a tricky one for the Hornets, who need healthier bodies and cleaner guard play to keep pace, but the broader concern is whether they can hold up long enough to avoid letting this game slip away. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Open NBA Cup With A Rotation Problem They Can't Ignore
After a rough loss, Charlotte steadied itself with a win over Miami and now turns the page to the NBA Cup with the kind of availability questions that can shape a night before it even tips off. The Hornets are already juggling a list of players marked out or questionable, including Kon Knueppel, Coby White and Grant Williams, which makes every injury report update feel a little more important than usual.
Dennis Schrder is also on the report with a right foot issue, and that could leave Charlotte dangerously thin at point guard if he cannot go. Washington has its own injury concerns, but the Wizards also arrive with a new wrinkle in rookie AJ Dybantsa, who made his NBA debut and scored 19 points against Cleveland on 8-of-12 shooting, giving this matchup a little extra intrigue even before the Hornets settle their rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Face An Early Test As Wizards Hype Starts Building
The Hornets are walking into an early-season NBA Cup test with a little extra buzz around the other side, as Washington gets ready to showcase AJ Dybantsa in his home debut. Dybantsa missed the start of the season with a left ankle sprain, then came back and scored 19 points in his first game back, giving the Wizards a fresh jolt as they try to build on a 2-3 start.
Charlotte has handled this matchup well lately, winning the last five meetings with Washington, which adds a little edge to a game that already carries some tournament weight. For the Hornets, it is another chance to see whether that recent run against the Wizards can keep holding up, even with a healthier and more energized version of Washington coming into the building. [Read more 🡒]