When OG Anunoby decided to leave Klutch Sports this past offseason, he had meetings with several agencies and told prospective representatives that he would like a larger offensive role, one that would be commensurate with an annual average salary of $40MM, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Anunoby is earning $18.6MM this season and has the ability to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason, at which point he’ll be in line for a substantial raise.
But the Knicks didn’t acquire the forward without a clear understanding of his contract situation, according to Fischer, who suggests that Anunoby may be more willing to sign a team-friendly deal with New York than he would have with another team. Sources tell Yahoo Sports that agents who met with the 26-year-old in the offseason got the impression he’d be willing to accept less than $40MM per year if he were to end up in New York.
As Fischer observes, it’s also worth noting that Anunoby ultimately ended up signing with CAA, an agency that works closely with the Knicks. One of Anunoby’s representatives is Sam Rose, the son of Knicks president Leon Rose.
Here’s more out of New York:
- Posing 10 pressing questions for the Knicks in the wake of the Anunoby deal, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post explores the motivation for the move, considers whether Malachi Flynn or Miles McBride will become the backup point guard, and examines what to expect from Precious Achiuwa, among other topics.
- It was apparent that the Knicks’ pre-trade roster had reached its ceiling, says Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post, arguing that the acquisition of Anunoby is exactly the sort of core shakeup the team needed. The deal also sets up the Knicks well for a follow-up trade, Vaccaro adds, given that the front office still has Evan Fournier‘s expiring contracts and all of its first-round picks to work with.
- The newly acquired Knicks players won’t be active tonight in Indiana, but should be available for Monday’s game vs. Minnesota, assuming all goes well with their physicals, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic.
- Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau seems likely to hear from the NBA after criticizing the officiating following Friday’s loss to Orlando, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Thibodeau said that he was “sick and tired” of Jalen Brunson getting “hammered” and not earning foul calls. “Like, I watch. I send it in. I see it all. And they’re fouls. It’s plain and simple, they’re fouls and there’s no other way to say it, except they’re fouls. They’re fouls,” Thibodeau said. “No one drives the ball more to the rim than this guy does. And if you rake across his arm, you rake across his arm. And if you hit him in the head, you hit him in the head. Those are fouls. Those are fouls. [I’m] sick and tired of it.”
- In a story for The Athletic, Mike Vorkunov takes a closer look at the journey that new Knicks two-way player Dmytro Skapintsev has taken from Ukraine to the G League to the NBA club.
NBA refs are so tied to the NBA formula, and so consistently bad in both directions, that I’m rarely surprised by what they do. Last night, NYK-ORL, was an exception. It was like there were two crews of officials. A modern 2023 crew on ORL’s offensive end, and a crew from the 1990’s on the NYK’s end. It was a very physical game by today’s standards, on both ends. But it was only permitted to be that way on one end. Brunson gets knocked to the ground a lot and if the officials don’t want to call it a foul everytime, I’m OK with it. But not when the usual “any contact is a foul” approach being strictly applied on the other end.
Anunoby deal just got abit better with the CAA conncection. NYK don’t need “team friendly” necessarily, just “not insane” would do.
Still gonna be the third option and still plays mid vs top teams. Let’s see if he ever averages 20ppg.
He doesn’t need to average 20 when he’s shutting down Tatum, Embid and Giannis
He shut down Giannis & Embiid?? Lol
sorry for your loss Knicks fans. O.G. move doesn’t move the needle for you. Not sure what your management was thinking, have fun having the most untradeable contract next season at $40 mil per for OG
Now this is knowledge …..
I mean just read the article here.
If Anunoby get anywhere near 40 mil a year, that’s a big overpay. 25 mil per year, 30 at the upper end, but 40? No. He’s a damn good 3&D player, but he’s not a playmaker, not a shot creator, not a guy who will force opponents to play a top defender on him. He’s also not DPOY-good at defense. All-Defensive 2nd team, maybe 1st team a few times, sure. But not more than that. He’s really valuable in the right situation and fits any team, but he can’t single-handedly decide the outcome of a game. I would wince at giving Brunson that much, let alone Anunoby, and Brunson is a beast.
Jeremy Grant got $160M, FVV got max money, OG is just better than both.
Both of those were clear overpays, and everyone knows it. The Grant contract was a desperation ploy to get Dame to stay, the FVV contract was only 2 years *and* still an overpay. OG isn’t worth 40 a year. That’s just a fact.
Also, I would not say OG is better than Grant. A better defender and an easier fit for roster construction, sure. But Grant is so much better than OG on offense, and is still a good defender, even if he’s not on OGs level.
Not better than Grant. Might be one day.
Great day to be Donte DiVencinzo
Biggest disappointment so far this yr is Grimes. So I’m glad to have Donte. Grimes needs to wake up if he wants to stay. Knicks to contend will upgrade at SG.
Murray, Mitchell, DeM
link to hoopshype.com
If he wants to stay? Knicks are one of the longest running jokes in the NBA, real players escape the moment they can, and nobody good ever signs with the Knicks.
O.G. already knows what the Knicks are going to offer him. The Knicks already know he is gonna take it. You don’t trade Barrett and Quickly without already knowing this …. Especially when Leon Rose has his son on O.G.’s management team with CAA.
Yeah I agree they must know something.
NY writers only talk about the failures of teams. This way they get more readership. Piss off the real fans and bait the casual or uniformed fan. It’s like the the team you love to hate. Either you root to win or root to lose. But everyone watches …….
No writer in NY was ever about a true rebuild. So the fact that’s what they have done are still doing (Thibs 4th yr now). Is a miracle in itself. Basketball players, real ballers. Can adjust to any coach or system. Only 12 players suit up. And only 8-10 players play real mins. So it takes time to see the fit of your primary players. Yet the haters want results in days. True team building takes yrs. And true success even longer. Hard to do that in a town where they tear you down after a bad yr. I’ve been on here since day1. Telling you a true rebuild has never been Done in NY since Ewing. And that one they didn’t do right. Mark Jackson, Rod Strickland Google them.
This trade in Thibs 4th yr. Is about team chemistry. Something that takes time especially with young and drafted players. This trade is about team fit. If you look at Knicks core now. They are all mid 20s seasoned young vets. Still part of the rebuild. Rebuilding is not about winning chips. It’s about building a team. Then a winner. Then a contender. This team now is going to be built to contend. As much as I like RJ. He was given his shot here. And OG is the right move for Thibs. I can see that clearly. Knicks are a SG away from contender status. While most of you scream get a star. The media screams gotta get a star. Knicks have built one of strongest benches in NBA. They are one of the best depth teams around. Now Knicks can concentrate on that star at SG. Cause clearly that is the position that needs it. We still have all our picks. We have added the backup PF we desperately needed. So it’s all about one more player to be a REAL contender now.
This is how you rebuild. For all the clowns on here who never understood. All the haters that just want to hate. All the uninformed and misguided fans. And all of you who just can stand seeing NY win at anything.
It’s called a true REBUILD. we got one more move to make. In Thibs we Trust
Randle (29), Brunson (27), OG (26), Mitch (25), Hartenstein (25), Hart (28), DiVincenzo (26), McBride (23), Grimes (23), Achiuwa (24).
Do you understand now ……..
I agree with a lot you say here.
I have also been consistently on board with Knicks patient approach.
The Knicks have been executing a plan for a while now. They have put together pretty much all the pieces they wanted. They had Julius and Mitch. They decided Jalen Brunson (Villanova) was their guy while he was wearing a Dallas jersey. Hired his Dad, got the deal done while he was still wearing a Dallas jersey, and paid the penalty. Most called it an overpay when they signed him. Knicks knew otherwise. Add Josh Hart, Brunson’s homie from Villanova. Add the other homie from Villanova, Donte. It was no secret that the Knicks were all about O.G., and now they have him.
They still have all their draft assets, and now sit one more move away from being where they want to be. I wonder how Donovan Mitchell feels about this trade???
Yeah it’s a process. I’m just glad they were able to stick to it. I’m really anxious to see this group develop.
Ahahahah. You come off as very knowledgeable but ultimately expose yourself as a homer. Nobody in their right mind thinks the Knicks are anywhere close to being a real contender. They are 7th in the East and the latest trade didn’t make them much better. If they give Anunby $30m or more, it’s even more foolish.
You begged for Dinwiddie. Dude is not that good and would have made this team worse.
Two years ago …. Knicks were a 1st round playoff exit. Last year ….. Knicks were a 2nd round playoff exit …. It has been a very clear and methodical approach to build a contender. They continue to get closer. They still have their draft assets to secure a final key piece.
If I’m OG, knowing the Knicks just gave up RJ and Quickley to get me and how perfect of a fit I am there, there’s no way I don’t push for 40 million realizing they can’t possibly let me walk without embarrassing themselves in the process. But, hey, maybe he does settle for a bit less just to keep things simple (maybe 34-36?).
I think 120/4y would be nice for him, but I feel he wont take less than 140
Yea he does kinda have this weird leverage right now with NYK….but Id prolly negate that with the connections.
NYK has been shrewd AF with the contracts lately, Brunson was amazing, Hart dealings were done very efficiently I think NYK has backroom winks on a number closer to 30 AAV than 40 Imo .
The FO has been about as methodical as one can be the last couple years league wide. I think they are in the know right now with OG’s ext , (and comfortable with it) and the rest of us will just have to wait
If anyone here is really about balling. Then you should just let it fail on its own. Amazing the ignorance on this board. Getting a chip takes time. So does failing at it. Why you think it’s falling now. Only speak of your inability to understand the game you want to criticize. So get a pet.
Any team paying OG $40M/yr has a max ceiling of lucking into a first round series upset
If Knicks want to resign anyone they have to massively overpay, $40m would be the starting point for a mediocre player like OG.
So now it’s the money ?????
No one has more money to spend than Dolan. And Like Warriors he will.
He spends it when they suck. So why are you talking about it. Knicks get better and the haters find anything to hate on.
When we get that SG. I’ll expect all of you to get canceled …….
In response to everyone
This is a good deal for both teams, if and only if OG does sign in NY for 30ish per season
OG wants to be the “guy”. But is still technically behind Randle and Brunson. Paying him anything more than the 30 is going to cause you serious problems down the road. He’s a great, maybe top 3 defender in the entire league, but struggles to put up 20 ppg. Floats too far from the rim for 10 rpg and never facilitated enough for 10 apg.
Toronto gets 5 years of RJ, in his hometown on a good deal to be the 2nd to Scottie, Has RFA rights on IQ who solves the PG problem while both fitting the Scottie timeline and play styles.
Only thing TO loses on is D because OG was that good. But it’s a sacrifice worth making for a legit #2 and possible franchise PG.
Plus the pistons 2nd which is pretty much locked in at 31. Replacing their mid 1st in the JP deal with SA.
Toronto wins this trade today, but with the caveat OG signs and becomes great on offense, which is also a legit possibility
Yeah come for it ….. expose yourself. Your ignorance. It’s one team that you never watch. Yet you OBVIOUSLY know it all.
To be so well informed about BS. Now that’s genius ………. Come for me please.
I’m here ….. come get it.
What is it exactly that we are coming to get?