Knicks Star ‘Threatened to Leave’ in Free Agency: Report

Getty OG Anunoby #8 talks with Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks during the second half against the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden.

New York Knicks star forward OG Anunoby used his leverage to get his max deal this offseason to stay in the NBA’s biggest media market.

According to Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News, “Anunoby threatened to leave the Knicks in free agency just months after they acquired” him from the Toronto Raptors.

In December, the Knicks gave up 2023 Sixth Man of the Year finalist Immanuel Quickley and former No. 3 overall pick RJ Barrett and a second-round pick (via Detroit), which turned out to be 31st overall pick Jonathan Mogbo, to acquire Anunoby with all the intention of keeping him.

Anunoby played his cards right as he knew the Knicks could not replace him had he walked. The Knicks were 26-6 in the 32 games Anunoby played.

“With no cap space to sign free agents and having sacrificed key players to acquire their star forward, the Knicks eventually caved, and Anunoby secured the richest deal in franchise history: five years, $212.5 million,” Winfield wrote.

Anunoby’s deal included all the bells and whistles — a player option on the final year and a trade kicker.

The Philadelphia 76ers were the Knicks’ biggest threat to sign Anunoby as their top target Paul George was eyed by the Golden State Warriors in a spirited effort in the days leading to the start of free agency.

Fortunately for the Sixers, talks fell apart between the Warriors and Clippers and they landed George in a four-year, $212 million max deal after Anunoby stayed with the Knicks.

It would have been a disaster for the Knicks had they lost both Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed a three-year deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder which they could not match due to his early Bird rights, this offseason.

No Extension yet for Julius Randle

After the Knicks secured Anunoby and All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson‘s services on long-term deals, the same has not been afforded to their three-time All-Star Julius Randle.

Randle and the Knicks have until June 30 next year to agree on an extension. The three-time All-Star forward is eligible to sign for as much as $181.5 million over four years. But so far, things have been quiet on that front.

SNY’s Ian Begley reported on July 7 that “the extension talks aren’t at the forefront for either the Knicks or Randle.”

If Randle enters the season without an extension, it could either become a motivation to prove himself or a distraction as questions about his future are expected to dominate the media chatter.

Julius Randle Predicted to Pick up Player Option

In the absence of an extension, salary cap expert Keith Smith of Spotrac predicts Randle will pick up his player option after this season.

“My guess is that player option right now for the 2025-26 season, I would say a pretty good bet [Randle] picks that up just because it doesn’t look like a great free agent market for the teams that have cap space next summer,” Smith said August 21 on the “NBA Front Office” podcast. “Not that you couldn’t still work out a sign and trade or something like that, but my guess is he’s probably going to pick that up. So if you’re the Knicks, it’s a little bit of a wait-and-see approach, and if you’re Randle, you’re probably OK with that too.”

The teams who are expected to have the most cap room next summer are the Brooklyn Nets ($49.5 million), Houston Rockets ($30.6 million), Washington Wizards ($25.2 million) and San Antonio Spurs ($23.2 million), Smith projected.

Randle’s $29 million salary for next season is “extraordinarily tradable,” according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

“A very attractive, $29 million this year,” Windhorst said on the August 30 episode of his podcast Hoop Collective. “His player option for next year is $31 million. His value, if he’s 100%, is more than that. There is no reason why, if he’s playing at the top of his game, why he shouldn’t consider opting out of that.

Because of that $29 million salary, he’s extraordinarily tradable. And, the Knicks still do have a couple of extra first-round [picks], not extra. There’s no extra anymore, but the Knicks do still have a couple of first-round picks they can move.”