JBET88: The Toronto Raptors have finally decided to reform their roster in the near future, starting with the OG Anunoby trade. He will move to the New York Knicks, NBA news expert Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN confirmed the news.
Below are the transaction details of OG Anunoby.
Knicks receive:
- OG Anunoby
- Precious Achiuwa
- Malachi Flynn
Raptors receive:
- RJ Barrett
- Immanuel Quickley
- 1 future second round pick
Raptors rating on Anunoby trade: B-
Anunoby is a very good player and the Raptors could have gotten even more if they had been decisive and traded him sooner. Anunoby could become an unrestricted free agent after this season, which would cause his value to drop.
Keeping Anunoby, Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes was already warned would make the Raptors squad unbalanced, but the Canadian representative hesitated for too long before realizing this mistake.
Faced with the risk of losing Anunoby for nothing, bringing him to the Knicks was a timely and quite good firefighting decision given the current situation. Barrett and Quickley are good players, but not the type of players that Raptors fans can expect much from. Let’s put that aside for a moment and look at what they got back.
Barrett – a Canadian who will return to play for his hometown team. He can give the Raptors some of the creative play they are lacking. Barrett has a career shooting rate of 34%, which isn’t great, but does help solve the Raptors’ shooting shortage.
Barrett was once a bright talent, but never lived up to the level people expected. He is currently shooting a career-high 53.6%, still 4.4% below the league average. The 23-year-old is in the first year of a four-year contract worth $107 million. At the age of 23, Barrett still has time to develop. Maybe returning to his hometown is an opportunity for him to develop to his full potential.
Quickley is the much more interesting part of the deal. He seems to be underutilized at the New York Knicks as he only comes off the bench. Last season, he finished second in the Reserve of the Year voting, behind Malcolm Brogdon. However, Quickley is capable of playing on many other teams.
Quickley is a good high-level defensive guard, an efficient 3-point shooter at 37% who can dribble and also brings some surges to his team. He can hold the ball, bring creativity and pressure outside the 3-point line, something the Raptors have sorely lacked this season.
Quickley, 24, could end up being a bargain for the Raptors in the future if used properly, in a larger role as a scorer off the bench.
Knicks assessment of the Anunoby trade: A
Anunoby is the perfect upgraded version of Tom Thibodeau. He is a fierce defender, can defend both the outside and the inside well, is a good 3-point shooter at 37.5% and is not afraid to shoot the ball when given the opportunity.
Every football team loves wing players who are about 2m tall, good at defense and know how to throw the ball (3&D). Anunoby is a typical 3&D model. He is not an All-Star level player, but he is someone who can act in the background, helping Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle shine brighter.
Anunoby will be out of contract after this season and will need a bigger contract to keep him. However, with his bird right and his suitability for the squad, the Knicks will not hesitate to give Anunoby a better guarantee after this season.
Regarding Achiuwa, this is a talented big man who can help the Knicks fill the void left by Mitchell Robinson due to injury. Although he is not yet a player capable of playing as a main player, he is a good defender and still has a lot to develop. He will compete with Jericho Sims for the reserve position behind Isaiah Hartenstein.
Flynn did not leave much of an impression in his 3 years playing in the NBA. He cannot create many breakthroughs, which makes him underrated when playing as a ball-leading defender. Flynn would probably fit in as a backup point guard on the Knicks’ bench.
Having Anunoby for only losing a second round pick is a big win for the Knicks in this exchange. They have a lot of picks, and still keep them in preparation for bigger trades in the future, if any.
Article see more
The most unusual injuries in NBA history: Dog bites, bed collapse, punching yourself into the wall
Morant is absent, Jokic 26+14+10, the Nuggets beat the Grizzlies with 37 points
Antetokounmpo triple-double, Bucks lose to Pacers, Rockets beat Pistons, end 3-game losing streak
