The veteran small forward is reportedly on the move.
Thomas Neumann | Dec 30, 2023
In this story:
- New York Knicks
- Toronto Raptors
Veteran NBA small forward OG Anunoby is on the move, per multiple reports.
The Toronto Raptors are trading Anunoby to the New York Knicks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Toronto is sending Anunoby, point guard Malachi Flynn and center Precious Achiuwa to New York in return for shooting guards RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley and a second-round draft pick.
Anunoby, a seven-year pro, is averaging 15.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game in 27 starts for Toronto this season. Over the course of his career, he’s averaging 11.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in 395 appearances.
Anunoby, the No. 23 pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA draft, led the NBA with 1.9 steals per game last season. He is under contract this season at a salary of $18.6 million and has a player option for next season at $19.9 million.
Barrett and Quickley also are former first-round picks. New York selected Barrett with the No. 3 pick in 2019 and Quickley with the No. 25 pick in 2020.
Barrett is averaging 18.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists and is under contract through the 2026-27 season. Quickley is averaging 15.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists and is under contract through 2024-25.
Achiuwa, the No. 20 pick in the first round by the Miami Heat in 2020, is averaging 7.7 points and 5.4 rebounds off the bench this season. Flynn, the No. 29 pick in the first round by Toronto in 2020, is averaging 5.1 points per game off the bench.
The draft pick in the deal is a second-rounder from New York via the Detroit Pistons, per Wojnarowski.
Anunoby is eligible to sign a four-year, $116.9 million contract extension with the Knicks on Saturday, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks. If he fails to do so, he’s only eligible to sign a two-year, $40 million extension for the subsequent six months, per Marks. He would then again become eligible for the $116.9 million deal on June 30. Free agency is scheduled to begin on July 1.
The Knicks will waive shooting guard DaQuan Jeffries to create a roster spot to accommodate the trade, per Charania.