Cavs’ first-round draft pick Ochai Agbaji sent to Utah Jazz in blockbuster NBA trade

Former Kansas men’s basketball guard Ochai Agbaji, a first-round pick of Cleveland in the 2022 NBA Draft, is headed to the Utah Jazz in a blockbuster trade just weeks before the start of preseason training camp.

Utah on Thursday traded high-scoring shooting guard Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland for Agbaji, Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton and three unprotected first-round picks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Agbaji, a first-team All-American who was 2022 Big 12 player of the year, will join former KU teammate Udoka Azubuike in Utah. Azubuike and Agbaji played together in 2018-19 and 2019-20.

Agbaji was taken by the Cavaliers with the No. 14 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Azubike was selected by the Jazz with the 27th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Agbaji and Azubuike will be part of a major rebuild in Utah. The Jazz also traded Rudy Gobert this offseason. Agbaji averaged 18.8 points per game for KU in 2021-22, helping the Jayhawks win a national title.

The Cavs have traded draft picks — lottery picks — out of Kansas in the past. In 2014, the Cavs selected Andrew Wiggins No. 1 then traded him to Minnesota in a deal for Kevin Love and others.

According to SI.com, Sexton, 23, who was still a restricted free agent, is signing a four-year, $72 million fully-guaranteed deal to be included in this trade. Mitchell, 25, has made the all-star game three straight seasons.