Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji are the future of the Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors have opted to pick up their team options for both Dick and Agbaji who will now be signed through the 2025-26 seasons, the team announced Tuesday.
The Raptors choice to pick up Dick’s team option was obvious. The 20-year-old got things going in the second half of last season and has started off this season strong. Dick will earn just less than $5 million next year before the Raptors have another team option for the fourth year of his contract. Toronto will have until next October to pick that up.
As for Agbaji, the decision didn’t look as obvious especially with the way the third-year player struggled at Summer League. The Raptors acquired Agbaji from the Utah Jazz at last season’s trade deadline and he didn’t show much promise. However, the 24-year-old has looked like a completely different player to start this season and has thrived when inserted in the Raptors starting lineup. Agbaji is having himself a great start to the season averaging 12.3 points while shooting 5-for-11 from three-point range. This is the kind of 3-And-D potential the Raptors were hoping to see when they traded for him.
Agbaji will earn $6.4 million next season in the final year of his contract before he heads into restricted free agency.
With the latest signings, the Raptors now have 10 players under contract for next year.
Raptors provide update on Scottie Barnes’ eye injury
Barnes has been ruled out against the Charlotte Hornets.
The 23-year-old will remain in Toronto and will continue to undergo medical assessments. Barnes’ condition will be updated tomorrow, according to Sports Illustrated’s Aaron Rose.
Barnes was injured on a play late in the fourth quarter when he took an inadvertent elbow from Nikola Jokic to the right eye. He had to be helped to the Raptors bench, before heading to the locker room and did not return to the game.
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