The struggling New York Knicks struck a deal with the Toronto Raptors this afternoon. According the Adrian Wojnarowski, New York will acquire two-way forward OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn, in exchange for RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a 2024 second round pick.
The Toronto Raptors are finalizing a trade to send OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks for a package including RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and draft considerations, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Z81TH1EexF
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 30, 2023
Less than 24 hours ago, Raptors forward OG Anunoby was present at the TD Garden in Boston. In a close matchup against the Celtics, the forward contributed 12 points, two steals, two assists, and two rebounds, on 50 percent three-point shooting.
Now, he's been traded to the New York Knicks. In his seventh season in the NBA, Anunoby is due to make $18.6 million this season, and according the NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Knicks will attempt to recruit him to stay in free agency this summer.
A core member of the Raptors Championship team in 2019, he's spent all of his career with Toronto, and was a first round draft pick in 2017. Known for his defensive prowess, he was named to the NBA All-Defensive second team last season. He will bring that winning experience, along with a defensive presence the Knicks very much need. This comes after New York announced big man Mitchell Robinson would miss the remainder of the season with an ankle injury.
The former Indiana star led the NBA in steals last year, and is currently averaging 15.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1 steal in 27 games. He has a career average of 11.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.2 steals. At 6 foot 7, Anunoby is a threat beyond the perimeter, and is having another solid season. He's shot a career 37.5 percent from three-point range, and 47.3 percent from the field.
Precious Achiuwa, a first round draft pick in 2020, has spent the past three years with Toronto after originally drafted by the Miami Heat. The former Memphis Tiger is averaging 7.7 points, 5.4 points, and 1.8 assists, on 47.2 percent field goal shooting.
While Anunoby's been on the Knicks radar for quite some time, he joins a team that's 17-14 in the Eastern Conference, and lost two straight games against the Orlando Magic and the and Oklahoma City Thunder. Aside from the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Philadelphia 76ers, the Eastern Conference remains wide open, and the Knicks currently hold the No. 7 seed. A Knicks team that ranks 15th in defensive rating, Anunonby will join Tom Thibodeau's starting lineup that will now consist of Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, and Isaiah Hartenstein.
The Toronto Raptors once found themselves as one of the prime defensive teams in the NBA early on. At 12-19, Toronto finds themselves currently out of playoff contention in the Eastern Conference, and are 3-7 in their last ten games. With a -1.3 point differential, the Raptors have struggled offensively, only averaging 113 points per game.
In five seasons with the Knicks, RJ Barrett was drafted third overall by New York in the 2019 draft. A solid scoring option, Barrett is averaging 18.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, on 42.3 percent field goal shooting.
A productive member off the bench, Immanuel Quickley is averaging 15 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.5 rebounds, on 39.5 percent long rang shooting. Having spent all four seasons in New York, Quickley is averaging career highs in points, and field goal percentage.
A Toronto Native, the trade is a homecoming for Barrett, who will provide an offensive boost for the Raptors.
More on this trade to come.
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Sara Jane Gamelli is a full-time Sportswriter at Ballislife, and Sports Content Creator on Twitch and TikTok. She has a focus on the NBA, WNBA, NCAA Basketball, and the NFL. Sara Jane currently resides in Connecticut/NYC area with her Cat and Dog. SJ has her undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut in Economics, with a minor in business administration.
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