Knicks acquire OG Anunoby from Raptors for young stars in shocking blockbuster trade
Reshaping their rotation, the Knicks struck a seismic deal Saturday to acquire coveted Raptors wing OG Anunoby by shipping off two members of their young core, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
The move marks a long-awaited blockbuster trade by team president Leon Rose, and it came before a third consecutive loss on a three-game road trip that concluded Saturday night with a 140-126 loss to the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Knicks included Detroit’s second-round pick in 2024 in the swap, but they also are bringing back 6-foot-8 big man Precious Achiuwa, who can assist with the crunch at center with Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims both sidelined, as well as 6-1 point guard Malachi Flynn.
“We’re ecstatic to welcome OG, Malachi, and Precious to the Knicks family,” Rose said in a statement. “OG’s complete offensive game and ability to defend multiple positions will enhance our team on both ends of the court. … Malachi and Precious are well-rounded players that will complement the hardworking and talented nature of our group.
“OG, Malachi, and Precious are perfect additions to the type of team and culture we are building in New York.”
Rose had obtained Josh Hart for a first-round pick at last season’s deadline, and he moved Obi Toppin to Indiana over the summer, but this deal marks the first major roster shake-up via the trade market in the former CAA head’s nearly three-year tenure fronting the Knicks’ front office.
The 26-year-old Anunoby — who recently switched representation from Klutch Sports to CAA — is averaging 15.1 points for the Raptors on 49 percent shooting, including a respectable 37 percent from beyond the arc.
He also led the NBA in steals last season with 1.9 per game, which profiles him as a defensively responsible fit for head coach Tom Thibodeau’s system.
Notably, the Knicks also made this deal without dipping into their assemblage of several first-round picks, and they also still have Evan Fournier’s expiring contract to dangle before the Feb. 8 trade deadline.
They also could hold on to Fournier and pick up his team option for 2024-25 to use in a deal as an expiring contract in the summer.
The risk in the deal is that Anunoby is earning $18.6 million with a $19.9 million player option for next season, meaning he could become an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
But the Knicks also obtain Anunoby’s Bird Rights, which means they can exceed the salary cap to extend his contract.
Anunoby, a 3-and-D wing who is expected to make his Knicks debut Monday at the Garden against the Timberwolves, will likely replace Barrett in the starting lineup and is theoretically a better positional fit in a lineup with Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson because he spaces the floor and doesn’t need the ball in his hands.
The 23-year-old Barrett, meanwhile, is gone after becoming the franchise’s highest draft pick since Patrick Ewing and the first first-round pick to re-sign off his rookie deal since Charlie Ward re-upped in 1999.
The former No. 3 overall pick’s up-and-down Knicks career finished in over four seasons with an average of 18.1 points on 42 percent shooting.
This deal sends the Toronto native back home where his father, former St. John’s star Rowan Barrett Sr., is the GM for Team Canada basketball.
RJ Barrett played for his country at the FIBA World Cup over the summer.
“It’s always hard. It’s difficult because in order to get somebody that is a good player, you also have to give up somebody who’s a good player,” Thibodeau said. “Those are not easy decisions. They’re tough decisions. … But I trust Leon, I have great respect for how he approaches things. There’s a lot of thought that goes into it. So they’re not easy ones, and there’s calculated risks that you have to take.”
Quickley has shined this season after finishing as the runner-up for the NBA’s Sixth Man Award earlier this year, but he became a trade candidate after he and the Knicks failed to agree to a contract extension in the summer.
His departure clears up the glut at guard that had become an issue with players since there were only a finite amount of minutes for Quickley, Quentin Grimes and Donte DiVincenzo.
Now, Grimes and DiVincenzo, who was signed as a free agent to replace Toppin in the rotation, can split those minutes, while Anunoby moves into the small-forward spot.
Interestingly, the deal between the Raptors and Knicks comes as both franchises are pitted against each other in a lawsuit over alleged stolen scouting secrets.
