The New York Knicks acquired OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors for Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and a second-rounder. Did the Knicks win the trade?
The New York Knicks just did the impossible.
Amid the ongoing petty lawsuit, the Knicks negotiated a deal with Grandmaster Fleece Masai Ujiri and the Toronto Raptors. Also impressive is that they got value for Immanuel Quickley before an inevitable financial ultimatum this summer.
But did the Knicks make a successful deal?
Knicks Receive: OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, Malachi Flynn
KFTV’s Chip Murphy penned his argument for OG Anunoby as a seamless fit in New York last February. The strengths (defense and spot-up shooting) and areas of concern (shot-creation, contract, injury history) all remain the same. This season, he is averaging 15.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from three. At 6’7″ with a 7’2″ wingspan, the 2023 All-Defense second-teamer projects to be the perimeter lockdown defender New York desperately needed.
What Anunoby is not is a top-tier shot-creator—otherwise, the price would be higher. The best-case scenario is that he expands his game in a new environment like Mikal Bridges did with the Brooklyn Nets. The more realistic outcome is that OG’s offensive output remains relatively the same, which is great, too. His fit between Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle is seamless on paper.
With a player option in 2024-25, Anunoby will surely seek a raise from his current $18 million contract. Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reported that Anunoby, rumored to be seeking $40 million annually, could take a pay cut in New York. Anunoby left Klutch Sports this summer to join CAA and is currently represented by Sam Rose, son of Leon. Familial connections may once again net the Knicks a quality player.
Bronx native Precious Achiuwa will give the Knicks depth at the big man positions. This season, he has just 27.7 percent from three with a 51.2 true shooting percentage overall—both pretty bleak figures. But at the very least, his size and rebounding at 6’8” could give Taj Gibson some much-needed rest. As a 2024 restricted free agent, the Knicks will be his last opportunity to audition for a new deal.
25-year-old Malachi Flynn will give Thibs another option at point guard behind newly extended Deuce McBride. Though, as of now, he projects only to see the floor in blowouts.
Knicks Trade: Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, 2024 second-round pick via Detroit
The story of the New York “9 to 5” comes to a sorrowful close, as does our hopes of #3 overall pick StaRJ Barrett being the Knicks’ savior. An imperfect situation since his arrival, the franchise never gave RJ the official keys, nor did they maximize his potential with complementary surrounding pieces. Barrett remained an A1 professional his entire tenure with sheer hard work and unwavering confidence. But the play never matched his poise.
The Toronto native returns home with a 2023-24 stat line of 18.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists on .423/.331/.831 splits in a career-low 29.5 minutes. Randle eclipsed him in the pecking order for First Fiddle in 2020-21, secured the sidekick spot next to Jalen Brunson in 2022-23, and never looked back. RJ’s rim pressure was rarely a priority, and his exit had been inevitable since the Donovan Mitchell negotiations. Good luck to RJ Barrett.
Even though the Immanuel Quickley extension dilemma has found resolution, the feeling of disappointment still lingers. It’s almost as if the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up was never even an option to start at the shooting guard spot despite his 11.6 net rating with Brunson and his now former coach Tom Thibodeau claiming to be a “numbers guy.” Just the tip of the iceberg of roadblocks Quickley has faced as a Knick.
Quickley’s high-energy play and unwavering enthusiasm for New York basketball will be missed dearly by even the most critical sides of the fan base. He will now have an opportunity to shine as a lead guard in a contract year while the Knicks fumble to replace his prowess off the bench. Once the extension deadline passed, it felt like a matter of time before his New York tenure ended. At least the Knicks didn’t run into a Jalen-Brunson-Mavs conundrum of their own. Good luck to IQ.
The Detroit Pistons’ second-round pick is currently projected to be 31st overall—essentially a late first-rounder—but the Knicks will still possess up to three (potentially) in the 2024 draft. Considering the rumored price for Anunoby last season included several first-round picks, it’s a blessing New York could keep most of their draft equity.
Final Grade: B/INC
A ‘B’ is a good grade. A ‘B’ means you passed. A ‘B’ means you know most of the material. As it pertains to this trade, a ‘B’ means Leon Rose got the coveted 3&D wing every team desires without getting fleeced or entering an arms race. Above all else, the Knicks found an ideal (theoretical) fit between their two best players,
The ‘Incomplete’ grade concerns the remaining questions about the roster. How will the Knicks compensate for the tertiary scoring they lost in the starting lineup and off the bench? How would they tread water in the case of a Jalen Brunson injury? Is Josh Hart really done playing backup power forward? How much will OG cost this summer? And will it destroy their pocketbooks?
Another trade, even as soon as February, feels inevitable: for Dejounte Murray, Donovan Mitchell, or another quiet quitter. After Mitchell Robinson’s injury, the Knicks could have sat on their hands this year and named this a ‘lost year.’ But they recalibrated with encouraging proactivity—even at the expense of a few fan favorites—and are still ahead of the game with enough assets to acquire more talent for when Mitch returns.
Welcome to New York, O.G. Anunoby!
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