The stunning New York Knicks blockbuster trade on Saturday that saw RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley going to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby was also a shocker to the players themselves.
Quickley, who became a fan-favorite in New York, posted his instant reaction to the trade on X (formerly Twitter): “Oh my goodness….”
Oh my goodness….
A few hours later, he posted what appeared to be a private jet that would bring him to Canada to join his new team.
IQ on his way to Canada.
Taj Gibson, the Knicks oldest player on the team, described the trade as “gut-wrenching” after he spoke with Barrett and Quickley, according to Newsday’s Steve Popper.
Taj Gibson said he spoke to Barrett and Quickley this morning — called it “gut-wrenching” but told them the deal presents opportunities for both players.
Barrett, still processing the trade, just reshared Bleacher Report’s post on X about the trade with two Canadian flags in his Instagram story.
via RJ Barrett’s Instagram
Barret, a stalwart of Canada basketball, is going home to the North.
Quickley also reshared Bleacher Report’s post on X about the trade in his Instagram story with the caption: “God’s Plan.”
via Immanuel Quickley’s Instagram
Josh Hart was as stunned as his teammates and the NBA community on what went down, a sign that the Knicks kept the trade under wraps even from their players.
“What I wake up to,” Hart shared on X after news of the trade broke out.
What I wake up to
Knicks-Raptors Trade Stuns NBA
League personnel across the league also did not see the trade coming, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer.
“The league expected Toronto to hold for its best possible offer much closer to the deadline. When word began to filter among front offices on Saturday that the Knicks were getting close to a trade, many were under the assumption that New York was simply finding a small maneuver to help plug the void left by starting center Mitchell Robinson, who remains sidelined with an ankle injury that’s expected to keep him out for the remainder of the season,” Fischer wrote.
Then came the Knicks like a thief in the night stealing the Raptors’ two-way stud with their draft capital unscathed. The Knicks left the negotiation table with another big move to make.
“Anunoby is a much bigger swing, yet the outgoing price the Knicks paid seems to have left a general consensus among league personnel that New York acquired the coveted two-way swingman for a modest cost, especially without sending any of the first-round draft capital the Knicks have been so focused on retaining to spend on a marquee acquisition down the line,” Fischer wrote.
New York is OG Anunoby’s Dream Destination
It appears Anunoby is in New York for the long haul.
According to Fischer, Anunoby is open to giving the Knicks a hometown discount in extension talks next summer. After all, one of his CAA agents is Sam Rose, the son of Knicks president Leon Rose.
“The Knicks didn’t land Anunoby without an understanding of his own financial considerations. Anunoby held meetings with several agencies this past offseason when he decided to leave Klutch Sports, telling potential representation he was interested in a larger offensive role that would be commensurate with a salary figure in the ballpark of $40 million in average annual value, league sources told Yahoo Sports. However, Anunoby did leave those potential agents with the impression he would be willing to accept a smaller figure if he were to have landed in New York, sources said. And it’s relevant to note the Indiana product did ultimately sign with CAA, which has deep connections to New York leadership,” Fischer wrote.
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Ex-Knicks RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley React After Getting Traded