Before their recent hot streak, the New York Knicks reportedly reached out to the Toronto Raptors about a possible OG Anunoby trade. While the organization may not be pursuing the deal as strongly at the moment, there is a good chance it could be revisited before the NBA trade deadline.
Ten games ago, the Knicks were under .500 and looked headed for a second straight losing season. Their mix of talent lacked chemistry, and their poor defense was a major hindrance on a nightly basis. However, since then Julius Randle has recaptured the MVP candidate form of two seasons ago, and 2021 first-round pick Quentin Grimes has been a stabilizing force in the starting unit.
Yet, before the New York Knicks won seven straight, and went on an 8-2 run in their last 10, the organization started to look around for possible fixes on the trade market. Earlier this week, SNY NBA insider Ian Begley revealed that they checked in about the asking price for rising Raptors star OG Anunoby.
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While Begley reported a blockbuster to land the first-round pick from the 2017 NBA Draft is unlikely now, things can change quickly in the NBA. And it is hard to assume that this Knicks group will continue this hot play all season long.
Potential OG Anunoby deal could be similar to Donovan Mitchell’s trade to Cleveland
Trade speculation around the six-year veteran is nothing new over the last year. And things have only intensified with Toronto four games under .500 and barely holding on to the final spot in the eventual NBA Play-In tournament. However, a recent report claimed it could take a massive haul to land the 25-year-old in a deal.
- OG Anunoby stats (2022): 18.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 2.3 SPG, 33% 3PT
During an edition of “The Lowe Post” podcast earlier this week, ESPN NBA insider Zach Lowe claimed because of the high interest in Anunoby, a potential trade might be close to what the Utah Jazz received in their summer trade of multi-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell.
“The entire league wants OG Anunoby. If he ever gets traded, the price and picks are going to surprise people because it might be on par almost with what the Cavs gave up for Donovan Mitchell. It’s going to be a lot if it ever happens.”
– Report on potential Anunoby trades
What New York Knicks might have to give up in OG Anunoby trade
It is wild to imagine Anunoby netting the Raptors such a haul, but that is how high Toronto and other teams around the league are on the Indiana University standout. In 2022, he has taken another development step forward, as he is averaging career highs in minutes, points, steals, and offensive boards.
While the New York Knicks have played well enough to reach the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, this squad isn’t a serious contender to reach the finals, with the conference being the strongest of the two. So, the team could still decide they need to make a big splash to push them into being an actual contender in ’22-’23.
So, what would it take to land OG Anunoby in a trade? To avoid having to give up both Quentin Grimes and RJ Barrett, the Knicks would probably have to add two of the four first-round picks they have in the upcoming draft (via FanSpo) and one of the two first-round picks they have in 2025.
A potential deal would be OG Anunoby going to the Knicks for RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickly, two 2023 first-round picks, and one 2025 first-round pick.