OG Anunoby

Knicks Notes: Randle, Hartenstein, Second Unit, LaVine, Achiuwa

January 4th, 2024 at 3:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Julius Randle was already on a scoring tear in December, averaging 27.6 points per game. Randle has pumped up his production even more following the trade that sent RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto, scoring 39 and 35 points in the Knicks’ first two games this month.

“I think the trade has opened up a little bit more opportunity to be aggressive,” Randle said, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “So I’m just trying to take what the defense is giving me.”

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Isaiah Hartenstein seems quite comfortable as a starter. He had a career-high 20 rebounds and five blocks in Wednesday’s 116-100 triumph over Chicago, Bondy notes. “I can play this role. That’s the biggest thing,” Hartenstein said. “I always had the confidence that I can really play it, but was never really in that situation.”
While the addition of OG Anunoby has helped the starting unit, the bench is in a state of flux, Mike Vaccaro of the Post points out. The reserves only produced 18 points against the Timberwolves and once again against the Bulls. “We have to try and find a rhythm for the second unit,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “They need a little bit of time but we’ll figure that out. You’ve got to make simple plays right now, trust each other, make advantages for each other.”
While the Knicks have been linked in the past to the Bulls’ Zach LaVine, they’re now among the teams not interested in a swap for the high-scoring wing, according to Bondy’s sources.
Bondy details how Precious Achiuwa‘s New York City upbringing has prepared him for the spotlight of playing in the Big Apple. Achiuwa was also acquired from Toronto in the Anunoby deal.

New York Notes: Knicks, Towns, Simmons, Walker, Nets

January 3rd, 2024 at 6:30pm CST by Rory Maher

While Sam Vecenie of The Athletic recently said he views the Knicks/Raptors trade as the “Immanuel Quickley trade” rather than the “OG Anunoby trade,” he likes what Anunoby will bring to New York.

According to Vecenie, Anunoby is one of a select few players who can credibly defend all five positions on the court. That defensive versatility, plus his ability to convert threes and make timely cuts, has made Anunoby a “great role player.” The question is if he can develop more on offense, Vecenie writes.

As Vecenie details, while Anunoby has an impressive physical profile and uses it very effectively on defense, he can look a little awkward on offense when given on-ball opportunities, as he doesn’t finish well in the paint and doesn’t have a reliable pull-up jump shot.

Still, Vecenie believes Anunoby has the potential to be “the third-best player on a title team” if he’s in the right situation, and there’s a reason so many teams wanted him. Vecenie also examines what Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn will bring to New York.

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On Run It Back (Twitter video link), Shams Charania of The Athletic suggested the Knicks will “always” have interest in Karl-Anthony Towns, who presumably won’t be going anywhere this season, as Minnesota has the best record in the Western Conference. Towns’ former agent is Leon Rose, New York’s current president of basketball operations.
Even after dealing away Quickley, RJ Barrett and the Pistons’ 2024 second-rounder, there are people within the Knicks who think they have the requisite remaining assets to land a star player, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. As Begley writes, the Knicks could trade up to four of their own future first-round picks, plus some protected picks from other teams.
Multiple sources tell Brian Lewis of The New York Post that Ben Simmons is “progressing well” in his recovery from a nerve impingement in his lower back, and he’s expected to be cleared to play 2-on-2 when the Nets return home on Thursday. Simmons would then play 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 before possibly being ready to return, Lewis writes. Simmons has been sidelined since November 6. As for Lonnie Walker, who has missed the past 16 games with a hamstring injury, he could return for Friday’s contest against OKC, Lewis adds.
They Nets are spiraling down the standings, having lost four straight and nine of their past 11 games, with the two victories against Detroit. Tuesday’s loss to New Orleans marked a new low point, Lewis writes for The New York Post. Mikal Bridges said the team took its foot off the gas pedal. “We got punched in the mouth and just sat back,” Bridges said. “We didn’t keep going forward after. And that’s on players, right there. It’s going to be like that. They might make a run … you’ve got to have accountability on ourselves to get back up and fight, and besides just lay down. Like I said, I’ve got to do better just personally being more vocal and be more physical and being on both ends. You just can’t let up.”

Knicks Notes: Anunoby, McBride, Sims, Achiuwa

January 2nd, 2024 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Prior to his first game with the Knicks on Monday, new starting forward OG Anunoby told reporters that he was “excited” to be with the team and that he always loved playing in New York as a visitor, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. After getting a “crash course” on Tom Thibodeau‘s system, Anunoby logged 35 minutes against the Timberwolves and was a team-best plus-19 in the Knicks’ six-point victory.

“I felt good,” Anunoby said after the win, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “I felt good. Just trying to help the team on both ends. Just talking to guys on defense and them talking to me, helping know where to be, and stuff. Felt good.”

Anunoby admitted that his new teammates were still telling him during the game where to be and what to do on the court, adding that he was “thankful” for their help. Thibodeau, who spoke earlier on Monday about how Anunoby would help shore up New York’s defense (Twitter link via Fred Katz of The Athletic), was pleased with what he saw from the veteran three-and-D forward in his Knicks debut.

“I thought for the first game, impressive,” Thibodeau said. “Just to be ready, and kind of figure it out on the fly. Played smart, played off people well, hustled, moved without the ball, shot good shots, made good plays … very good start.”

Here’s more on the new-look Knicks:

Fred Katz of The Athletic, Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post (subscription required), and Stefan Bondy of The New York Post all took a closer look at Anunoby’s debut and the new Knicks’ rotation, noting that Julius Randle referred to his new teammate as the “perfect piece” for the roster. “He can be very special here,” Jalen Brunson added.
Anunoby deflected talk about his upcoming free agency on Monday, indicating that he’ll let his agents “handle that stuff,” according to Bontemps. However, he didn’t sound like someone who will be looking to leave New York in the summer. “When the time comes, [we’ll] figure it out,” Anunoby said. “But I’m really excited to be here.”
After playing fewer than four total minutes in the six games leading up to the trade, reserve guard Miles McBride has logged 25 total minutes in the past two contests and appears likely to play an increased role going forward. As Botte and Bontemps relay, McBride admitted that the contract extension he signed hours after the trade was finalized came as a bit of a surprise. “It was pretty sudden, but I’m glad we got it done,” he said. “It just shows their belief in me and my hard work really paid off. They were watching me, and I think I proved it.”
Reserve center Jericho Sims was technically cleared to play on Saturday following a right ankle sprain and was available again on Monday, but he didn’t appear in either contest, Botte notes. Taj Gibson backed up center Isaiah Hartenstein on Saturday, while newcomer Precious Achiuwa got those minutes on Monday.
Before his NBA career began and before playing his college ball at Memphis, Achiuwa attended schools in the Bronx and Newark, so the trade to the Knicks represents something of a homecoming for the big man, according to Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. “I’m very excited to be back home in front of my family, friends that I grew up with,” Achiuwa said before Monday’s game. “Really, really a very exciting opportunity and I’m looking forward to it.”

Raptors Notes: Quickley, Barrett, Trade, Knicks

January 1st, 2024 at 2:36pm CST by Rory Maher

While OG Anunoby and RJ Barrett may have more name recognition, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic believes Immanuel Quickley is the “most interesting” and “highest-upside player” from Saturday’s trade between the Raptors and Knicks.

As Vecenie writes, Quickley is a strong three-level scorer who is particularly lethal in pick-and-rolls. Vecenie points to Quickley’s performance in an expanded role last season — he averaged 22.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 5.1 APG on .469/.401/.846 shooting in 21 starts (38.6 MPG) — as evidence that the fourth-year guard should thrive with Toronto.

Quickley’s passing, especially to outside shooters, is an area where he can improve, according to Vecenie, who cites on-ball defense as another improvement area. However, he praises the 24-year-old’s ability to limit turnovers on offense and believes Quickly is a plus team defender who makes good decisions.

Quickley’s shooting and ability to play both on and off the ball should fit well with ascendant third-year forward Scottie Barnes, Vecenie adds.

Barrett, on the other hand, is not a smooth fit for Toronto’s current roster, Vecenie writes. While he’s still only 23, Barrett is more or less the same player he was when he was drafted five years ago, according to Vecenie: A talented shot creator who can get to the rim but struggles to finish once he’s there, and a very inconsistent shooter who regularly goes through high variance stretches.

Vecenie notes that Quickley has struggled early in his career in the postseason, whereas Barrett had some strong performances last season against Cleveland and Miami. But Vecenie still likes Quickley’s long-term prospects much more than Barrett’s.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca has a fairly similar view of the two players, writing that Quickley looks like a better fit on Toronto’s roster than Barrett due to former’s ability to draw defensive attention with his shooting and quick release. People around the league view Barrett as having roughly “neutral value” in the first season of his four-year, $107MM+ extension, Murphy writes in another piece focusing on the Raptors’ cap situation post-trade. Murphy points out that Quickley shares an agent with Precious Achiuwa (who was sent from Toronto in New York in the deal), and says Toronto likely wouldn’t have made the trade without an idea of what it will take to sign Quickley as a restricted free agent.
Quickley thought he was dreaming when he found out he was traded, as it transpired while he was awoken by a phone call from his agent, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, who passes along quotes from Quickley and Barrett’s introductory press conferences. “I was in Indy [Friday], I was planning to play that night [against the Pacers],” Quickley said. “Really, I was asleep. My agent called me, and he said, ‘Call me right away, you’re getting traded.’ Thought it was still a dream because I just woke up. … It’s been unbelievable. Couldn’t ask for anything better. Great city, great culture, the camaraderie of the team is great. You can tell people care about each other around here. And you couldn’t ask for anything better than that.”
Toronto native Barrett is also excited to play for his hometown team, as Grange relays. “I think for anybody to go home there is going to be, you know, a different feeling than for anybody else,” Barrett said. “[Basketball] is the sport I play. This is what I do. I’m just going to be here to do my job [but] — I believe in this team. I believe that we can, we’re gonna figure it out and figure out a way to be one of those top teams, you know. And so I think once we get to that point, over there, it’s gonna feel even sweeter.”
Fred Katz and Eric Koreen of The Athletic weigh the pros and cons of the trade from the Knicks‘ and Raptors’ perspectives. Koreen believes Anunoby is a major defensive upgrade for New York, but his offense may not have much room for growth going forward. Katz thinks Quickley will excel in Toronto, and should have no trouble translating his per-minute numbers to a larger offensive role. Both Quickley and Barrett are known for having a strong work ethic, Katz notes.

Knicks Notes: Fournier, Anunoby, Achiuwa, Flynn, Defense, McBride

December 31st, 2023 at 6:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

As Knicks players became aware of the team’s trade with Toronto Saturday morning, Evan Fournier grabbed his phone to see if he was involved, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Fournier has been stuck in limbo for about a year, seeing little playing time as he’s kept outside coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation, but still valuable because of an $18MM expiring contract that could be useful for salary matching in a major deal.

Fournier explained to Popper that he’s not looking for a way out of New York, but when he heard about the Raptors deal he wanted to know if he was part of it.

“Well, the thing is the way I learned it, I think it said it was a trade package surrounding RJ,” Fournier said. “So of course you see that, you’re like, ‘Oh.’ You check your phone and stuff. I sleep well at night. I don’t check my phone to see if there’s a trade or anything. I just focus in on the moment because that’s the business.”

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The Knicks will host Minnesota Monday afternoon, so some of the players acquired from Toronto might be in the lineup without practicing with their new team, Popper adds. “I don’t know what the logistics of everything are yet,” Thibodeau said. “But whatever it is, we just gotta find a way.” New York is listing Malachi Flynn as out for tomorrow with a right ankle injury, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv, but OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa aren’t on the injury report.
The Knicks’ need for a defensive presence like Anunoby was evident in Saturday’s loss at Indiana, observes Peter Botte of The New York Post. New York surrendered 140 points overall and 76 in the second half while dropping its third straight game. “Just as simple as I can: terrible,” Jalen Brunson said. “We can do a lot better defensively. Offensively, it is not a problem right now. I can be better defensively. We can be better defensively. We just need to step it up on that side of the ball.”
Miles McBride can’t be traded for six months after signing his new extension, Begley points out (Twitter link). Begley’s sources confirm that McBride’s new deal is front-loaded and that his salary will decline each season.

Knicks Notes: Anunoby Trade, Murray, Barrett, Quickley

December 31st, 2023 at 10:52am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks will remain active on the trade market after acquiring OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn from Toronto on Saturday, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Having previously named Dejounte Murray as a possible Knicks trade target, Scotto reports that New York is still interested in Murray following this weekend’s deal. However, the team would no longer be able to offer Immanuel Quickley, who might have been a key piece of any outgoing package for the Hawks guard.

Scotto also spoke to multiple NBA executives to get their thoughts on the Anunoby trade for the Knicks. One of those execs questioned whether it might have been overpay, but acknowledged that the team remains well positioned to make another big move and said that justified the decision to part with two talented scorers in Quickley and RJ Barrett. A second exec is curious to see what New York’s front office has up its sleeve for its next move.

“There’s not a lot of shot creation for other players on the roster now, and there’s a lot of pressure on (Jalen) Brunson,” the exec told Scotto. “I get why New York made the trade. The team was playing selfishly. Anunoby is a better fit with what they have than Barrett.”

Here’s more on the Knicks and their latest trade:

The Knicks players who weren’t involved in Saturday’s deal had mixed feelings about the move, as Peter Botte of The New York Post details. “This probably for me is one of the toughest ones just because of the relationship I built with those two,” Julius Randle said, referring to Barrett and Quickley as “little brothers” and suggesting he’ll continue to root for them. Taj Gibson expressed excitement for the addition of Anunoby but said that it “kind of sucked” to say goodbye to the two departing Knicks: “I’ve been around them since they came into the league. Great young men. It’s just tough, one of the tough parts about the business. Being able to see them this morning and talk, it was tough.
Zach Kram of The Ringer, John Hollinger of The Athletic, and Keith Smith of Spotrac took a closer look at the five-player trade from both the Knicks’ and Raptors‘ perspectives, breaking down why it could be a win-win move for the two Atlantic rivals. Smith also explores each team’s financial situation and considers how new deals in 2024 for Anunoby and Quickley will affect their cap outlooks going forward.
Frustration about roles and playing time had been mounting in the Knicks’ locker room, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic, which is one key reason why the front office was motivated to make a consolidation trade sooner rather than later. Within Katz’s story, which examines the trade in greater detail, he cites league sources who say the Knicks and Celtics briefly discussed a deal centered around Quickley and Marcus Smart in the offseason before Smart was sent to Memphis. In other words, the team has been mulling swapping Quickley for an elite defender for a while.

Latest On Knicks/Raptors Trade

December 30th, 2023 at 6:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

With the Knicks and Raptors both playing tonight, the two head coaches were able to talk about their new acquisitions in pregame sessions with reporters.

New York’s Tom Thibodeau started by saying he has handled personnel decisions before, so he understands how much work went into today’s trade. He added that it was difficult to part with RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, but OG Anunoby brings too many positives to pass up (video link from Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files).

“I think what OG has done and what he has shown is, one, he has positional size,” Thibodeau said. “Two, he can guard multiple positions. Three, he’s a terrific three-point shooter so he can space the floor. He’s also good in transition, very good finishing. And he’s young, so he still has a lot of development left in his game.”

Thibodeau added that Precious Achiuwa will give the team much-needed size and offensive rebounding, and he called Malachi Flynn “a good young player as well.”

Prior to tonight’s game in Detroit, Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic discussed how adding Barrett will affect the offense, tweets Eric Koreen of The Athletic.

“RJ is a very dynamic player,” Rajakovic said. “He is a very good cutter, good driver, an improved spot-up shooter as well. I’m really excited to see how he’s going to jell with our team.”

There’s more on today’s blockbuster trade:

Raptors president Masai Ujiri was in Detroit with the team and broke the news of the trade to Anunoby, Achiuwa and Flynn, tweets Kayla Gray of TSN Sports. She hears that Barrett and Quickley are expected to travel to Toronto tomorrow and meet with the media on Monday (Twitter link). They’ll likely make their debut in Monday night’s game against Cleveland.
Knicks veteran Taj Gibson talked to both Barrett and Quickley this morning after the deal became public, relays Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link). Gibson said it was “gut-wrenching” to lose the two players, but he told them they’ll have great opportunities in Toronto.
Although Anunoby is a nice addition to the roster, the Knicks don’t believe they’ll be able to obtain a true star player before next summer, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic. New York still owns a wealth of draft assets, Katz adds, along with the salaries of Josh Hart, Evan Fournier, Donte DiVincenzo and Quentin Grimes to use in a trade for a max-salary player.

Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Flynn, Achiuwa, Thibodeau, Skapintsev

December 30th, 2023 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

When OG Anunoby decided to leave Klutch Sports this past offseason, he had meetings with several agencies and told prospective representatives that he would like a larger offensive role, one that would be commensurate with an annual average salary of $40MM, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Anunoby is earning $18.6MM this season and has the ability to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason, at which point he’ll be in line for a substantial raise.

But the Knicks didn’t acquire the forward without a clear understanding of his contract situation, according to Fischer, who suggests that Anunoby may be more willing to sign a team-friendly deal with New York than he would have with another team. Sources tell Yahoo Sports that agents who met with the 26-year-old in the offseason got the impression he’d be willing to accept less than $40MM per year if he were to end up in New York.

As Fischer observes, it’s also worth noting that Anunoby ultimately ended up signing with CAA, an agency that works closely with the Knicks. One of Anunoby’s representatives is Sam Rose, the son of Knicks president Leon Rose.

Here’s more out of New York:

Posing 10 pressing questions for the Knicks in the wake of the Anunoby deal, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post explores the motivation for the move, considers whether Malachi Flynn or Miles McBride will become the backup point guard, and examines what to expect from Precious Achiuwa, among other topics.
It was apparent that the Knicks’ pre-trade roster had reached its ceiling, says Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post, arguing that the acquisition of Anunoby is exactly the sort of core shakeup the team needed. The deal also sets up the Knicks well for a follow-up trade, Vaccaro adds, given that the front office still has Evan Fournier‘s expiring contracts and all of its first-round picks to work with.
The newly acquired Knicks players won’t be active tonight in Indiana, but should be available for Monday’s game vs. Minnesota, assuming all goes well with their physicals, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic.
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau seems likely to hear from the NBA after criticizing the officiating following Friday’s loss to Orlando, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Thibodeau said that he was “sick and tired” of Jalen Brunson getting “hammered” and not earning foul calls. “Like, I watch. I send it in. I see it all. And they’re fouls. It’s plain and simple, they’re fouls and there’s no other way to say it, except they’re fouls. They’re fouls,” Thibodeau said. “No one drives the ball more to the rim than this guy does. And if you rake across his arm, you rake across his arm. And if you hit him in the head, you hit him in the head. Those are fouls. Those are fouls. [I’m] sick and tired of it.”
In a story for The Athletic, Mike Vorkunov takes a closer look at the journey that new Knicks two-way player Dmytro Skapintsev has taken from Ukraine to the G League to the NBA club.

Raptors Trade OG Anunoby To Knicks For Barrett, Quickley

December 30th, 2023 at 2:48pm CST by Tristan Tucker

2:48pm: The trade is official, the Knicks confirmed in a press release (Twitter link).

“We’re ecstatic to welcome OG, Malachi, and Precious to the Knicks family,” Knicks president Leon 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.”

The Raptors also announced the deal in a press release of their own.

“We’re excited about welcoming Immanuel and RJ to our team,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said. “Immanuel is a young, talented playmaker who we believe will provide a spark on both ends of the court. RJ is a versatile wing who is, of course, well-known in his hometown, and seeing him in a Raptors uniform will be a special moment for our fans and for all Canadians.”

11:27am: The Raptors are finalizing a trade that will send OG Anunoby to the Knicks in exchange for a package consisting of RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a 2024 second-round pick, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Forward Precious Achiuwa and guard Malachi Flynn are also headed to New York along with Anunoby in the deal, according to Wojnarowski and Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links).

The 2024 pick the Raptors are acquiring originally belonged to the Pistons, Wojnarowski tweets, so it currently projects to be atop the second round.

The deal will see the Knicks land one of the most coveted two-way players in the league in Anunoby, who has been viewed as a prime trade candidate for much of 2023. New York has been pursuing him for “a significant period of time,” according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), having reportedly offered multiple first-rounders for him at last season’s deadline.

The Knicks will now get a head-start on trying to retain Anunoby ahead of his potential 2024 free agency. The 26-year-old has a player option next season worth $19.9MM, which he’s expected to decline to secure a more lucrative contract.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, Anunoby will technically be extension-eligible after being acquired by the Knicks, but for the next six months, he’ll only be permitted to sign for up to two years and $40MM. On June 30, those limits will increase to four years and $117MM.

In all likelihood, whether or not he intends to re-sign with the Knicks, the seventh-year forward will opt to become a free agent, since his elite three-and-D skill set should put him in line for an even more substantial payday than he could get on an extension. Anunoby was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive team last season and has averaged 16.4 points per game with a .381 3PT% since the start of the 2020/21 season.

Moving Barrett and Quickley should help clear up a logjam and clarify the rotation in New York’s backcourt, with wings like Donte DiVincenzo and Quentin Grimes primed to take on larger roles alongside star point guard Jalen Brunson. Flynn likely won’t play regular minutes for his new team, but he’ll provide some depth at guard, while Achiuwa will give the Knicks another option up front with Mitchell Robinson out for the season.

Toronto, meanwhile, won’t get a first-round pick back for Anunoby but will instead bring in Quickley, who finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting last year, and Barrett, a Canadian and former No. 3 overall pick. Quickley will be a restricted free agent in 2024, while Barrett is under contract through 2026/27.

Barrett loved New York and enjoyed playing for the Knicks, but if he was going to be dealt, he viewed his hometown of Toronto as a great option, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). The 23-year-old played for the Canadian national team in the FIBA World Cup this past summer.

Both Barrett and Quickley had seen their playing time with the Knicks dip a little in the first half of this season. Barrett averaged 18.2 points per game on .423/.331/.831 shooting in 26 starts (29.5 MPG), while Quickley posted a career-best 15.0 PPG on .454/.395/.872 shooting in 30 appearances off the bench (24.0 MPG).

The lack of first-round draft capital heading to Toronto indicates the Raptors are content with retooling, rather than outright rebuilding — that aligns with a report earlier this week, which indicated that the organization has “no appetite for a reset, teardown, or rebuild.”

It remains to be seen what Toronto does with Pascal Siakam, whose name has also come up in trade rumors in recent weeks and who is also a candidate for an extension. Depending on their plans for Siakam, the Raptors could generate a significant chunk of cap room in the 2024 offseason while still being able to re-sign Quickley, notes Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype (via Twitter).

In the shorter term, the move will open up a spot on Toronto’s roster and will keep team salary slightly below the luxury tax due to the inclusions of Achiuwa and Flynn, both of whom will be restricted free agents in 2024.

The Knicks will have to waive someone to complete the deal. According to Charania (via Twitter), that roster casualty will be DaQuan Jeffries, who was on a non-guaranteed contract and had seen limited action in just 10 games for the team this season.

Finally, it’s worth noting that the two Atlantic rivals came together to make this deal despite being engaged in a bitter legal feud off the court.

The Knicks filed a lawsuit against the Raptors in August, alleging that former employee Ikechukwu Azotam illegally took confidential files with him when he was hired by Toronto. The two teams have gone back and forth in court filings in the months since then, but it seems their front offices had no problem working with one another.

Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Raptors/Knicks Trade Notes: Draft Pick, Cap Details, More

December 30th, 2023 at 1:21pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Raptors won’t acquire a first-round pick in their deal sending OG Anunoby to the Knicks, the one draft pick Toronto is getting is essentially equivalent to a late first, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The 2024 second-rounder initially belonged to the Pistons, which means it projects to be the No. 31 overall selection in June.

In Marks’ view, that pick actually has more value than the protected first-rounders the Knicks are owed from Detroit and Washington. The Pistons first-rounder will be protected through 2027 and would become a single ’27 second-rounder if it’s not conveyed by then, while Washington’s first-rounder is protected through 2026 and would turn into a pair of second-rounders (2026 and 2027) after that.

The protections on the Pistons pick will eventually become top-nine in 2027, while Washington’s will become top-eight in 2026, so those first-rounders still have a chance to convey. But neither Detroit nor Washington appears on the verge of becoming a playoff contender, so from the Raptors’ perspective, there’s certainly some value in getting a pick guaranteed to be in the early 30s in the short term rather than asking for one of those conditional first-rounders.

Here are a few more notes on the deal that will send Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn to New York and Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett to Toronto:

Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link) says his understanding is that the Raptors and Knicks have been working on a potential Anunoby trade since they played one another on December 11. The two teams discussed a couple different iterations and the Raptors canvassed the league at this month’s G League Showcase in Orlando before circling back to the Knicks to finalize an agreement, Grange explains.
When he discussed a possible extension with the Knicks prior to the season, Quickley was believed to be looking for a deal similar to the one Devin Vassell got from San Antonio (five years, $135MM, plus $11MM in incentives), tweets Grange. Given that Quickley is a crucial piece in the return for Anunoby, the Raptors are presumably prepared to re-sign him as a restricted free agent next summer and have a sense of what the price will be.
Conversely, Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link) says the Knicks had concerns about re-signing Quickley at a price they felt comfortable with. Begley adds that he doesn’t think New York is done dealing, given that the team still has plenty of excess first-round draft capital to offer up in trade talks.
Barrett, whom the Raptors were eyeing dating back to before the 2019 draft, will become the eighth Canadian to play for the franchise, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter links). The first seven were Jamaal Magloire, Cory Joseph, Anthony Bennett, Oshae Brissett, Khem Birch, Dalano Banton, and Chris Boucher.
Following the trade, the Knicks will be $5.1MM below the luxury tax line and $9.9MM under their hard cap, while the Raptors will be $1.95MM below the tax and $4.85MM under the hard cap, tweets Marks.
As a result of the trade, New York will generate a trade exception worth the difference between Barrett’s and Anunoby’s salaries ($5,241,072) and Toronto will create one worth Achiuwa’s salary ($4,379,527).
The timing of Toronto’s trade agreement could benefit the Pistons, who are looking to avoid becoming the first team in NBA history to lose 29 consecutive games. As James L. Edwards of The Athletic tweets, the Raptors will be without Anunoby on Saturday when they visit Detroit on the second night of a back-to-back set.

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