Outside of adding veteran Donte DiVincenzo in NBA free agency, the New York Knicks have been quiet thus far this summer.
It’s somewhat surprising given the fact that front office head Leon Rose has numerous assets to pull off a blockbuster trade after last season’s surprise run to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
In no way does this mean that the Knicks won’t pull off a big move ahead of training camp in September.
Zach Braziller of The New York Post indicated recently that the Knicks may have the inclination to use their assets to acquire star 3-and-D wing OG Anunoby in a trade with the conference rival Toronto Raptors.
This specific report is not terribly surprising given that New York is chasing after a “prime aged” star in blockbuster trades. That seems to eliminate the likes of Damian Lillard and James Harden, neither of whom seem to be great fits with Jalen Brunson in the Knicks’ backcourt.
Anunoby, 25, makes a lot more sense. At 6-foot-7, he fits the Knicks’ need for a bigger wing. The former first-round pick from Indiana is also coming off a tremendous 2022-23 season for Toronto.
- OG Anunoby stats (2022-23): 16.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.9 SPG, 48% shooting, 39% 3-point
In addition to leading the league in steals last season, Anunoby’s scoring has seen an uptick over the past three years. He’s seen as one of the top two-way wings in the game.
Related: Sportsnaut’s NBA trade tracker with grades
Cost of the New York Knicks trading for OG Anunoby
This is where it gets tricky. Reports earlier in the summer indicated that the Raptors have been difficult partners in trade talks. That includes ongoing conversations surrounding All-Star forward Pascal Siakam, who the Knicks have also been linked to.
Any move for Anunoby would likely start with multiple first-round picks heading to Toronto. From there, the Raptors would demand either Quintin Grimes or Immanuel Quickley from the Knicks.
While this would be a high price to pay, adding Anunoby to New York’s core group could make them a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference moving forward. A starting five of Brunson, Anunoby, R.J. Barrett, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson would be nothing to sneeze at.
We could still be ways away from the Knicks pulling off a blockbuster trade. But their lack of inactivity can’t be mistaken for a lack of proactivity behind the scenes. That’s for sure.