OG Anunoby Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Anunoby, Kanter, Embiid, VanVleet

January 25th, 2020 at 2:11pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Much like they did with current All-Star Pascal Siakam and swingman Norman Powell, the Raptors are determined to turn erratic third-year forward OG Anunoby into a consistent, high-level contributor, according to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star.

“I think he needs more reps,” coach Nick Nurse reflected. “He needs some more chances to go out there and develop his game, and that’s got to be on me a little bit.”

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Sixers center Joel Embiid hopes to resume his All-Star season on the floor next week, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. Embiid underwent surgery January 10 to repair a torn radial collateral ligament in his left ring finger.
Due to a right hip contusion, Celtics center Enes Kanter will not return to action until at least Tuesday against the Heat, Brad Stevens relayed to Boston’s team Twitter account (link). In just 18.5 minutes per night, Kanter has produced impressive averages of 9.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG and 60.2% field goal shooting.
Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet, an unrestricted free agent in 2020, could be a great fit for the Knicks, Greg Joyce of the New York Post suggests. VanVleet, the best point guard in a limited free agent class, should be in line for a major pay upgrade from the two-year, $18MM contract he signed in 2018.

Atlantic Notes: Siakam, OG, Burke, Sixers

November 12th, 2019 at 5:32pm CST by ChrisCrouse

With the Raptors facing a bevy of injuries, Pascal Siakam will get an opportunity to showcase his point guard skills, as Doug Smith of The Toronto Star relays.

“Depending on what the matchup is, you can do it,” Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said. “We’ve got to be careful on it and stuff like that, but it’s good to get a lot of reps of it and see what kind of offense we can run from it. I think we found a few things he can run up there at the point.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

OG Anunoby saw an eye specialist today and has been diagnosed with an eye contusion, the Raptors announced (Twitter link). The forward will miss at least Toronto’s next game on Wednesday in Portland.
Trey Burke is capitalizing on the opportunity he’s receiving with Ben Simmons sidelined, Lauren Rosen of NBA.com writes. Burke, who joined the Sixers on a one-year deal this offseason, credits his preparedness for his ability to step into a larger role with the club.“This is a new situation for me – a championship-type organization,” Burke said. “I know I was going to have to be patient.”
Quinn Davis of Basketball Insiders breaks down the Sixers‘ point guard situation behind Simmons. In addition to Burke, the team has Raul Neto, and Josh Richardson has been running some point recently.

Raptors Notes: Siakam, Anunoby, Bench

October 20th, 2019 at 4:00pm CST by clarkcrum

Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes how the Raptors locking up Pascal Siakam to a long-term extension may be a byproduct of how the Spurs ended up losing Kawhi Leonard, the player that helped the Raptors win the franchise’s first ever championship last season.

Like Leonard when he was in San Antonio, Siakam was destined for a maximum contract after the Raptors won last season’s title. Like San Antonio had then, Toronto has plenty of cap space this upcoming summer.

Unlike the Spurs, the Raptors didn’t wait to lock up Siakam. As Koreen writes, they want him around and they want him happy. The long-term benefits outweigh the short term repercussion of less cap space.

There’s more this afternoon from Toronto:

Per Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun, forward OG Anunoby, in a rare podium session, says that he lost 15 pounds following the rupture of his appendix just as last season’s magical postseason run got underway.
Michael Grange of Rogers Sportsnet provides some more details on the incentives in the rookie-scale contract extension signed by Siakam, writing that the 25-year-old forward will receive a starting salary worth up to 30% of the cap (not the typical 25%) if he earns First or Second Team All-NBA or is named the MVP this season. That would make Siakam’s four-year extension worth as much as a projected $155.9MM instead of $129.9MM.
Head coach Nick Nurse still appears to be rather displeased with some of his newly-signed bench players, reports William Lou of Yahoo Sports Canada. Nurse lauded Stanley Johnson for his defense and effort and Matt Thomas for his offense, but seemed less than enthusiastic about the other side of the ball for both players.

Raptors Notes: Ujiri, Camp Battles, T. Davis, Lowry

October 4th, 2019 at 2:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri reportedly drew interest from the Wizards this spring when Washington was in the market for a new head of basketball operations, and will likely continue to be targeted by teams making front office changes.

However, speaking to Frank Isola of The Athletic last weekend about his job status, Ujiri made it clear he intends to remain in Toronto at least through the end of his current contract in 2021, if not longer.

“The most important thing is that when you sign a contract you’re obligated to serve it,” Ujiri said. “I signed the contract and I have time left on that contract and I will serve the time. This place has been unbelievable to me. It’s been just a blessing.”

Here’s more on the Raptors:

In a pair of articles for The Athletic, Blake Murphy handicaps the races for the open spots on the Raptors’ regular season roster and the two openings in the team’s starting lineup. Murphy views Chris Boucher and Dewan Hernandez as strong candidates to make the 15-man squad, with Isaiah Taylor, Cameron Payne, and Malcolm Miller fighting for the final spot. Murphy also predicts Oshae Brissett and Sagaba Konate will be the team’s two-way players and considers OG Anunoby and Norman Powell good bets to fill out the starting lineup.
Terence Davis‘ guaranteed salary makes him a virtual lock to start the season on the Raptors’ roster, but that doesn’t mean he’ll play regular minutes. Doug Smith of The Toronto Star explores Nick Nurse‘s first impressions on the undrafted rookie out of Ole Miss.
There has been some confusion this week over Kyle Lowry‘s status, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca details. The veteran point guard said he had been medically cleared for contact following his summer thumb surgery, but he has yet to participate in a practice. Nurse and agent Mark Bartelstein have suggested that Lowry still has one more checkup to go through before he’s fully cleared, notes Grange.
Earlier today, we wrote about the Raptors exercising Anunoby’s 2020/21 option and Pascal Siakam reportedly seeking a maximum-salary extension.

Raptors Pick Up 2020/21 Option On OG Anunoby

October 4th, 2019 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have exercised OG Anunoby‘s fourth-year rookie scale option well ahead of the October 31 deadline, according to Blake Murphy and Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The move locks in Anunoby’s $3,872,215 cap charge for the 2020/21 season.

Viewed as a potential breakout candidate entering the 2018/19 season, Anunoby instead took a step backward, enduring a rough sophomore year that saw him battle health issues and cope with the passing of his father.

After averaging 7.0 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 67 regular season games (20.2 MPG), the young forward didn’t play at all during the Raptors’ championship run, having undergone an emergency appendectomy just before the postseason got underway.

The Raptors still have high hopes for the 22-year-old, however, and he’ll get a chance to potentially reclaim a spot in the starting lineup this year in the wake of Kawhi Leonard‘s and Danny Green‘s offseason departures. Even if he comes off the bench, Anunoby is expected to have a significant rotation role.

With several sizeable expiring contracts on their books, the Raptors project to have more cap space than virtually any other NBA team during the 2020 offseason, so guaranteeing Anunoby’s salary will have little impact on the team’s flexibility. Toronto still has less than $20MM in guaranteed money on its cap for 2020/21, though that figure doesn’t include Stanley Johnson‘s $3.8MM player option or a potential extension for Pascal Siakam.

Raptors Notes: Siakam, Lowry, Anunoby

September 28th, 2019 at 8:32pm CST by Luke Adams

A report this week indicated that the Raptors and Pascal Siakam‘s representatives have engaged in preliminary discussions about a potential rookie scale contract extension. Speaking today to reporters, president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri confirmed that there have been conversations between the two sides and expressed no doubt that a deal will get done either by the October 21 deadline or during the 2020 offseason, when Siakam would be a restricted free agent.

“We’ve had conversations with Pascal’s representation,” Ujiri said (video link via Sportsnet.ca). “We’re excited. Whether it’s going to be this fall or whether it’s going to be in the summer, he’s somebody we’re definitely going to keep for a long time here.”

It remains to be seen what sort of price the Raptors will have to pay to lock up Siakam long-term, or whether they’ll end up waiting until the summer of 2020. The NBA’s reigning Most Improved Player said that he’ll leave the negotiations up to his agents, but he’s looking forward to being a Raptor for the foreseeable future.

“I love Toronto,” Siakam told Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link). “I love being here and I’m definitely hopeful we can get it done.”

Here’s more out of Toronto:

Siakam isn’t the only extension candidate in Toronto. Kyle Lowry confirmed at Media Day that his people have talked to the Raptors about a new deal, adding that he’s not worried about his upcoming free agency, tweets Eric Koreen of The Athletic. The veteran point guard said his contract situation is an “ongoing conversation,” tweets Blake Murphy of The Athletic.
As Murphy writes in his full round-up of Raptors Media Day, Ujiri admitted that the team will likely treat Lowry’s upcoming free agency a little differently than it would for other veterans on expiring contracts, given his legacy status with the franchise. Murphy suggests “it sure sounds like” Toronto wants to retain Lowry beyond 2019/20.
Serge Ibaka said that he gave Kawhi Leonard space to go through free agency without trying to influence his decision, tweets Lewenberg. “After he made his decision, we spoke on the phone,” Ibaka said. “I said, ‘You know what bro, I’m a little sad you’re leaving us, it’s disappointing as a friend, but I’m happy for you.'”
OG Anunoby, who received praise from Ujiri and head coach Nick Nurse today, isn’t lacking any confidence in the Raptors’ ceiling even with Kawhi no longer on the roster, as Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun tweets. “I think we’re gonna repeat,” Anunoby said. “We have a really good team and we believe in ourselves, and that’s all that matters.”
Some of Anunoby’s teammates expressed their confidence a little more cautiously. “I think it’s a very hungry team,” Marc Gasol said, per Lewenberg. “We all understand what Kawhi meant to the team and how well he played in the playoffs. But we also understand how good we can be as a team. So we are going to invest everything needed to be that team.”
Anunoby also said that he didn’t get his energy back until mid-July after undergoing an appendectomy last spring and said that winning the starting small forward job will be a priority for him this fall (Twitter links via Lewenberg).

Raptors Rumors: Siakam, Lowry, Gasol, Ibaka

September 27th, 2019 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have engaged in “preliminary” discussions with Pascal Siakam‘s representatives about a potential contract extension, sources tell Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. Lewenberg cautions that there’s no indication a deal is imminent.

Siakam, who is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie scale contract, is eligible to sign a new deal up until 5:00pm CT on October 21, the day before the regular season begins. If he and the Raptors don’t reach an agreement by that point, he’d be on track for restricted free agency next summer.

After a breakout year in which he earned the NBA’s Most Improved Player award – and helped Toronto win its first championship – Siakam and his camp figure to be seeking a deal worth the max or close to it, Lewenberg notes. Based on the league’s latest cap projections, a four-year, maximum-salary contract for Siakam would be worth just shy of $130MM, while a five-year max would be worth $168.2MM.

With a pretty clean cap sheet for the 2020/21 season, the Raptors can afford such an investment and figure to pull the trigger at some point. However, it remains to be seen whether the two sides will strike a deal in the coming weeks, and exactly how much it’d be worth.

Here’s more on the defending NBA champions:

Although Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, and Serge Ibaka have expiring contracts that could make them intriguing trade chips, league sources tell Sean Deveney of Heavy.com that the Raptors are happy with their situation and aren’t entertaining trade inquiries on those veterans.
One source with knowledge of the team’s thinking tells Deveney that the Raptors want to return to the postseason this spring, in part to sell the club to potential free agent targets. “This is where they always wanted to be,” that source said. “[President of basketball operations] Masai [Ujiri] was always going to rebuild things around Siakam and OG (Anunoby) and the other young guys eventually. He’s going to have a ton of cap space. But he’s got to be able to get free agents to go there and it’s still a tough sell, getting guys to go to Canada. So they’ve got the ring, if they can get to the playoffs again, he has something more to sell when that cap space comes available.”
In a separate article for TSN.ca, Lewenberg examines whether Anunoby is primed for a breakout season, explores what Toronto’s roster and rotation might look like, and touches on a handful of other Raptors-related topics.

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Draft, Anunoby

June 17th, 2019 at 5:33pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Sixers want to select someone in the mold of Landry Shamet with the No. 24 overall pick.

“[Shamet has] always been an overcomer and mature and very very self-aware,” senior director of scouting Vince Rozman said (via Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer). “…I think those are the guys that tend to make it in that range, because they know their role and they know what’s going to be asked of them.”

Pompey suggests that Cameron Johnson fits the profile and speculates that the UNC product may slip in the draft because of his age. Johnson turned 23 in March.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Sixers will work out six prospects on Tuesday, Pompey tweets. Darius Bazley (Princeton HS), Armoni Brooks (Houston), Charlie Brown Jr. (St. Joseph’s), Kyle Guy (Virginia), James Palmer Jr. (Nebraska), and Yovel Zoosman (Israel) will participate in drills with the club.
The Nets recently worked out Bazley, Eric Paschall (Villanova), and Grant Williams (Tennessee), according to Michael Scotto of The Athletic (Twitter link).
OG Anunoby will not play in summer league, according to Raptors coach Nick Nurse (h/t Eric Koreen of The Athletic). “I think he’s past that,” Nurse said.

OG Anunoby Questionable For Game 1

May 29th, 2019 at 9:39pm CST by clarkcrum

Despite Raptors head coach Nick Nurse saying Monday that forward OG Anunoby was still about 10 days away from being able to play, the team is now surprisingly listing Anunoby as questionable for Game 1 of the NBA Finals tomorrow night, tweets Eric Koreen of The Athletic.

Anunoby, who has missed the entire 2018/19 postseason after undergoing an emergency appendectomy in early April, still didn’t have a timetable to return as recently as a week ago, when Nurse said as much. But now, it appears as though a timetable has appeared and shortened within the span on a few days, with Nurse’s 10-day prediction upgraded to a questionable designation for tomorrow evening.

Anunoby could provide some much needed depth for the Raptors against the Warriors after the team relied on an eight-man rotation against the Bucks. This is especially true if Kevin Durant returns from injury, as Anunoby would give teammate Kawhi Leonard some much needed breaks from defending the all-time great.

Given Nurse’s original estimate about Anunoby’s return, it still seems unlikely that we will see him in Game 1, but the questionable designation does breed hope for an earlier return, perhaps in Game 2 on Sunday.

Raptors Hope OG Anunoby Can Return During Finals

May 27th, 2019 at 1:16pm CST by JD Shaw

MAY 27: Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said today that Anunoby is about 10 days away from being able to play, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.

“He’s doing better,” Nurse said. “He’s on the court. He’s moving around. He’s not 100%, but he’s healing.”

If Nurse’s estimate is accurate, Toronto could be aiming to get Anunoby back on the court for either Game Three or – more likely – Game Four in Oakland. Game Four is scheduled for next Friday, June 7, which is 11 days away.

MAY 26: The Raptors are quietly optimistic that OG Anunoby could return at some point during the NBA Finals, which are set to tip off in Toronto on Thursday night, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.

Anunoby has missed each of the team’s 18 playoff games while rehabbing from appendectomy surgery. He underwent the emergency procedure six weeks ago, never receiving a firm timetable for his return.

For the Raptors, Anunoby provided depth off the bench in 67 games this season, averaging seven points, 2.9 rebounds and 20.2 minutes in his second campaign. Toronto managed to secure a birth in the Finals despite his absence and will soon square off with the defending-champion Warriors, a team that’s earned nine days of rest between their last contest and Game 1.

The extended timeline between Saturday’s Game 7 and Thursday — along with the spacing between each Finals game — are two key reasons why Toronto is hopeful Anunoby could return soon, Wolstat notes. If it reaches seven games, the series would run until June 16.

Anunoby, a chiseled 6’8″ defensive-minded forward, was drafted by the Raptors with the No. 23 pick in 2017. He’ll earn $2.28MM in 2019/20, with Toronto holding a $3.87MM team option on his contract for the 2020/21 season.