One of the smartest things a rebuilding team can do is take a chance on young guys. Specifically, ones who were high-upside first round picks who haven’t panned out yet but are still young. Situation matters so much in the NBA, and a change of scenery could be all it takes for a player to come into his own. For example, the Jazz brought in Lauri Markkanen and turned the former 7th overall pick from a quality stretch four to a bonafide All-Star. The Raptors acquired RJ Barrett and the hometown kid is playing the best ball of his career.
There are multiple reclamation projects finding success so far in the 2024-25 season. Here are three of them.
Ochai Agbaji
Ochai Agbaji was considered one of the surest things in the 2022 draft class. Coming out of Kansas, he was a complete package, someone who seemed ready to play big minutes right away as a rookie. Through his first two seasons, though, he struggled to make any sort of positive impact. The Jazz weren’t that impressed with him and included him as a throw-in in a trade they made at the 2024 deadline.
Now in Toronto, Agbaji is becoming the player he was supposed to be. He’s started multiple games in place of injured openers and has looked great on both ends. He’s become a defensive stalwart, a development that started to come to light in his sophomore campaign. He uses his 6’10” wingspan to be a wreckful stocks guy who polices the passing lanes and delivers chasedown swats. The Raptors have always had an affinity for lengthy wings and know how to maximize that archetype so it makes sense that Agbaji is popping, especially on D.
Shooting was Agbaji’s biggest strength collegiately, but he hadn’t found much luck from behind the arc as a pro before this season. However, his new role has clearly restored his confidence and he is back to being a sniper. He’s hit well over half of his corner threes so far. The young wing is also a super effective finisher, clever cutter, and dynamic transition threat, making him an ideal off-ball player overall.
Once Scottie Barnes and Bruce Brown are back healthy, Ochai Agbaji’s playing time may decline, but he’s proving that he deserves to be in the rotation full-time.
Josh Giddey
2023-24 was a brutal season for Josh Giddey. The Thunder skyrocketed into contention and he was simply not ready to play that level of basketball. He was still a talented player with high upside, but many people started to forget it. After all, it’s tough to watch a guy look like a total liability on both ends and still believe in him. When he was traded to Chicago, though, real Giddey truthers rejoiced as it was clear that he was going to a much better situation for his development. Their faith is being rewarded so far as the Australian has thrived in his new environment.
The Bulls have played at a rapid pace this season, launching a ton of threes and modeling modern playstyles in a way they never did during the DeMar DeRozan era. Giddey has looked at home playing this way. He’s been in peak passing-wizard form, freely letting flashy dimes fly at fantastic rates. He’s quickly found synergy with Chi-Town’s resident All-Stars, getting easy looks for Nikola Vucevic out of the pick-and-roll and encouraging Zach LaVine to zip around the court as a cutter. It feels like no coincidence that so many Bulls are shooting so well from deep with Giddey as the primary playmaker. The young guard has even joined into the three-point party himself, looking much more willing to shoot off the catch and connecting on over 40% of his tries.
The biggest problem for Giddey, of course, lies on the defensive end. At this point, expecting him to be a good defender is a recipe for disappointment. He has, however, made some nice plays with his hands on D this year, an encouraging potential development. All he has to do is not be a complete sieve, and that’s a doable goal that would go a long way for him if achieved.
At this point, it’s almost certain that Josh Giddey will never be a star. But, he is still a good player in the right scenario, and the man they call the “SLOB Wizard” is making that statement in Chicago.
Ziaire Williams
When the Grizzlies selected Ziaire Williams 10th overall in 2021, the pick was criticized. His college production was less than stellar and he was incredibly raw. Unsurprisingly, as most half-baked prospects do, he underperformed during his first few years in the league. Memphis desperately wanted him to be the answer to their wing problems and he just wasn’t the guy they hoped for. For that reason, nobody thought much of his arrival to Brooklyn this past summer other than “wow, what an unfortunate career it’s been for him”.
The Nets clearly knew something we didn’t when they brought Williams in and they should be applauded for it. The kid has turned from a blank canvas to an eye-catching painting. He’s finally found a role for himself in the most popular archetype of today’s league: 3&D. The Stanford product always showed flashes of shooting touch, but his shots are now actually falling at a high rate for the first time. His inefficiency from downtown was the main thing holding him back, as non-shooters have a tough time gaining footing in the modern NBA. Defensively, he’s been a pest on the wing, switching onto multiple positions and disrupting with his length.
Williams has completely changed the trajectory of his career this season. At just 23 years old, he could be a long-term core piece for the rebuilding Brooklyn squad.
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