Knicks Remain Interested in Rising 2-Way Wing: Report

Getty RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks goes to the basket against Scottie Barnes #4 and OG Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors.

The New York Knicks are monitoring the Toronto Raptors, who are at a crossroads after Fred Van Vleet left them for nothing in free agency.

Pascal Siakam, their other in-his-prime veteran left from Toronto’s championship team, is the subject of trade rumors.

“If Siakam goes, the focus will turn to O.G. Anunoby — the smooth-shooting, all-NBA defender who remains on the watch list for several teams, the New York Knicks especially,” Sportsnet Canada’s Michael Grange wrote.

The Knicks’ interest in Anunoby dates back to the last trade deadline. They were comfortable offering three first-round picks for Anunoby before the trade deadline, according to SNY’s Ian Begley in January. But the quality of those picks isn’t exactly high-end, according to Grange in February, referring to the Knicks’ first-round selections from Dallas, Washington and Detroit with varying protections.

The Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers offered three first-round picks for Anunoby at the trade deadline, but the Raptors rejected it, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe.

“The Raptors made it clear in trade talks they wanted a high-level player or prospect along with draft picks in any Anunoby deal, sources said,” Lowe reported in February.

With the Knicks having a surplus of guards after signing Donte DiVincenzo in the free agency, they could revisit the Anunoby trade talks and offer one of their young guards and picks if the Raptors go full rebuild around Scottie Barnes.

OG Anunoby Due for Big Payday

Anunoby is due for a big payday after his four-year, $72 million extension ends. He is owed an $18.6 million salary next season, and he’s expected to decline his $19.9 million player option for the 2024-25 season for a more lucrative deal.

But two-way wings like him are at a premium in today’s NBA, as one GM told Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney in April.

“Wing defenders are at a huge premium, there are so few guys who can be a stopper on the wing and still make some shots and be a factor offensively, guys who can walk and chew gum,” one Eastern Conference GM told Deveney. “OG can do that. He is still getting better. You’re gonna have to pay him after next year, but he is on a good contract now.”

With the Knicks having a surplus of guards with the addition of Donte DiVincenzo, they can consolidate and make a run at Anunoby, who can fill a position of need for them.

Knicks Backed out of Paul George Trade Talks

According to MSG Network and ESPN commentator Alan Hahn, the Knicks balked at Paul George‘s expensive price tag.

“They had a chance to get Paul George. They said it was too expensive. They didn’t want to do it. They’ve already backed out of that. They talked to the Clippers, the Clippers gave what it would cost, then Paul George said, ‘But I want an extension.’ And they said, ‘We’re not doing that.’ And they walked away. So Paul George is off the table,” Hahn said on the July 3 episode of the Bart and Hahn radio show.

George has never played more than 56 games since the Clippers acquired him for five first-round picks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in 2019. Over his last four seasons, all with the Clippers, George averaged 23.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.5 steals in 186 games.