My Thoughts on the Knicks

 

Just under a week ago, the Knicks made a trade to acquire OG Anunoby and shocked many across the NBA. In order to get Anunoby, the Knicks had to give up RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, two players that had played their entire careers with the Knicks until just a couple of days ago.

At first, I was a bit confused with the trade. Seeing two guys that I had grown to love and hate at some points over the years, traded away to a division rival stung quite a bit. But the thing that I needed to focus on was what we were getting back for them in this deal. 

OG Anunoby is the exact guy that Tom Thibodeau wants on his basketball team. He is the definition of a 3 and D player, being both an efficient scorer and suffocating defender as well. The Knicks weren't getting further than they got last season with the same exact team, so obviously they needed to switch something up. 

Trading Immanuel Quickley was a little bittersweet because we all know the player that he can and will pan out to be, but at the end of the day it just had to be elsewhere. He is also on an expiring contract and will be a free agent in the offseason, so at least the Knicks got some value out of him judging if they were unable to re-sign him. 

Barrett was drafted by the Knicks in 2019 and everyone thought he was going to really become a star in New York. Statistically, Barrett had good numbers, but he was very inconsistent and this is what really drove him out of New York. Most athletes do not last very long in New York with the amount of success that the Knicks had with RJ Barrett and now he gets to return home to Canada in Toronto. 

Barrett was also taking on a deal that involved paying him $30 million per year. For the Knicks to get out of that contract I think is a good step in the right direction for them. In Anunoby's first two games with the Knicks, he's looked everything like the player that Thibs wants to coach and more. 

The message that I believe was sent is that after making this deal, the Knicks are not done yet with making deals and this team will experience more changes as we get closer to the trade deadline. I hope OG is very successful with the Knicks and that they are able to extend him and keep him in the Big Apple long term.