Blockbuster Trade Proposal Lands Knicks $72 Million Budding Star

With just under two weeks to go till the February 9 trade deadline, the New York Knicks appear to be gearing up to execute some sort of roster-bolstering move, as they have been reported as being one of the more active clubs currently on the market.

Arguably the most high-profile and oft-mentioned potential target for Leon Rose and company throughout this year’s campaign has been OG Anunoby of the Toronto Raptors, who some consider to be a player New York should be willing to “offer up anything in their asset collection” for.

In a January 28 proposal by FanNation’s Fastbreak, writer Brett Siegel constructed a hypothetical transaction that would see a considerable package heading outbound for the 25-year-old, with the proposal reading as follows:

New York Knicks receive:

• OG Anunoby

Toronto Raptors receive:

• Immanuel Quickley
• Derrick Rose
• 2023 first-round pick (unprotected)
• Wizards’ 2023 first-round pick (Top-14 protected, via NYK)
• 2025 first-round pick (Top-5 Protected)

Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star reported on January 23rd that there has already been a “mystery team” to have offered three first-round picks to the Raptors for Anunoby, and the belief amongst many fans is that said club was the Knicks.

Considering their astounding collection of draft capital over the next several years, New York could absolutely afford to cough up the aforementioned number of picks in a mid-season transaction should they view the incoming package as being worthy of such a haul.

However, there are other teams in the association that may also be vying for the wing’s services on the trade market, thus meaning that, should the Knickerbockers covet him enough, they’ll likely need to throw in a couple of ready-made talents into the equation as well, and Siegel believes that his proposal could be the optimal offer for the budding star.

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Knicks Offload Their ‘Most Valuable’ Asset

Though it was reported early on in the season that the Knicks were willing to listen to offers for third-year guard Immanuel Quickley, his recent play has seemingly quelled such desires by the franchise, as SNY’s Ian Begley has since reported that the front office is “not actively seeking offers” involving him.

That said, though the 24-year-old has become a truly integral part to Tom Thibodeau’s rotation since the early stages of December, Siegel strongly believes that, should New York be able to acquire a player like OG Anunoby for his services, losing Quickley, though perhaps personally and emotionally challenging, could be well worth it.

“Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin and Cam Reddish are three players on rookie deals that teams around the league seem to have a level of interest in and Quickley is absolutely their most valuable asset, as he is averaging a career-high 12.5 points per game on 43.3 percent shooting off-the-bench this season.

“There has been a push from within the Knicks’ front-office to keep both Immanuel Quickley and veteran guard Derrick Rose, but if the opportunity to acquire O.G. Anunoby comes their way, the Knicks will absolutely look to get a deal done.

“The Knicks have been showing interest in Anunoby for weeks, league sources have told Fastbreak on FanNation, and there are some within the organization that view him as a perfect fit on the wing alongside RJ Barrett given his length and versatility on both ends of the floor,” Siegel wrote.

A sixth-year veteran, through 45 games played in 2022-23 OG Anunoby finds himself posting stellar career-best averages virtually all across the board with 16.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and  2.1 steals per game on 45.7% shooting from the floor and 36.6% shooting from deep.

A natural two-way wing, the former first-round pick is viewed to have the type of skillset that would seamlessly fit within Tom Thibodeau’s system, and, considering his still rather youthful age, one could make the argument that in time he could wind up blooming into a legitimate star, which is why Siegel believes even parting ways with a beloved figure like Quickley and several future firsts could ultimately be a move worth making at this year’s deadline.

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Knicks Have ‘Internal Interest’ in Raptors Guard

Anunoby isn’t the only Raptors player that the New York Knicks could be pursuing at this year’s trade deadline, as Siegel reported back on January 9 that the franchise has an interest in acquiring veteran guard Gary Trent Jr..

“Both the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns are two teams that have a level of internal interest in Trent ahead of the deadline, sources close to both organizations tell Fastbreak on FanNation,” Siegel wrote on January 10. “However, the asking price Toronto for Trent has not been revealed, and rival executives believe that the Raptors will be aiming to add immediate draft capital given their recent struggles this season.

“New York is a team that is very much looking to upgrade their roster ahead of the deadline, and any combination of Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, Cam Reddish and Immanuel Quickley could be included in a potential deal for the Knicks to add a player of Gary Trent’s caliber. There is a push within the Knicks’ front office, though, to keep both Rose and Quickley if possible, sources said,” Siegel wrote.

A steady backcourt scoring presence, through 43 games played in 2022-23 Trent has been posting impressive averages of 18.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.7 steals on 36.8% shooting from the floor.

Despite his production to this point, however, NBA insider Marc Stein reported on January 8 that Toronto has “undeniably” made the combo guard available on the trade market.

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