Earlier this summer, the New York Knicks signed OG Anunoby to a five-year, $212 million contract.
Big Trade and Immediate Impact:
The Knicks felt the heat to seal the deal after trading RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley for Anunoby in December 2023. With him on board, they went 26-6, but he missed 27 games due to injuries. This raised concerns about his ability to stay fit for the playoffs.
Former Phoenix Suns executive Amin Elhassan shared his worries on Sirius XM radio: โIโm not saying OG Anunobyโs not good… Iโm saying when you guarantee every last dollar of $212 million to a guy whoโs been extremely injury-prone… you have to protect yourself somewhere.โ
Twitter Reactions:
OG Anunoby is one of the worst contracts in the NBA and Mikal Bridges should not give the Knicks a discount, says NBA Radio’s Amin Elhassan: “I’m not saying he’s not goodโฆI’m saying when you guarantee every last dollar of $212M to a guy who’s been EXTREMELY injury-proneโฆyouโฆ
โ New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork)
Anunoby’s Stats and Team Dynamics:
According to Cleaning The Glass, Anunoby played in 1,585 possessions last season with the Knicks outscoring opponents by +22 points per 100 possessions. His best lineup included Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, and Isaiah Hartenstein. Together they outscored opponents by +17.1 per 100 possessions over 374 possessions.
Adding Mikal Bridges has further strengthened Thibodeau’s team. The Knicks now look ready to challenge Boston Celtics at the top of the East.
Fans hope that all these changes will lead to an exciting season!
The Injury Concern:
Anunobyโs presence makes the Knicks stronger with his size, athleticism, and defensive skills fitting perfectly into Thibodeauโs system. But if injuries keep him off-court again, it could be a major setback for their championship dreamsโand make his big contract seem like an overpay .
So while there’s optimism around what he brings when healthy, caution remains key as they head into this new season.
