Dec 23, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby (3) dunks for a basket against the Utah Jazz in the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
The Knicks picked up one of their most sought-after targets on Saturday, acquiring small forward OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors for a package that includes RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a 2024 second-round draft pick via the Detroit Pistons, as first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Anunoby had long been on the Knicks’ radar as a well-rounded, efficient scorer who adds defensive bite for a Tom Thibodeau-led side predicated on defense.
The 26-year-old has averaged 16.4 points per game since the start of the 2021-22 season with 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.6 steals. He was the NBA’s steals champion last season, averaging 1.9 swipes per game while earning All-Defense honors. This season, he’s shooting a shade under 61% from the field, which includes a 37.4% showing from three-point range.
It’s a significant gamble taken by the Knicks to acquire the forward. He is signed through the remainder of this season and has a player option worth $19.9 million for next season — one he will likely opt out of to test the waters of free agency to earn a larger payday. New York team president Leon Rose, though, now has an opportunity to start negotiating a new deal immediately rather than competing with the rest of the league on the open market this summer.
Toronto’s return is a sizable one. Barrett gets the opportunity to return home to his native Canada after a slight regression over the past three seasons in New York. The third-overall pick at the 2019 draft averaged 21 points per game in the 2021-22 campaign, but he struggled to find his consistency as the Knicks’ roster became crowded with more primary offensive options — specifically when Jalen Brunson teamed up with Julius Randle to shoulder the bulk of the team’s…
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