The New York Knicks are dead serious about running it back in 2024-25, and it seems trading for Mikal Bridges was only the beginning.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports star defensive wing OG Anunoby will re-sign with New York for five years and $212 million. It is the richest contract in Knicks history.
OG Anunoby was acquired from the Toronto Raptors in late December of last season along with Precious Achiuwa, with RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickely going to Toronto. He averaged 14.1 points and 1.7 steals per game for the Knicks while shooting nearly 39.5% from three.
Anunoby was even better on defense, posting a 1.8 defensive box plus/minus (DBPM).
It’s a bit of a shocking contract, particularly from a money standpoint. That isn’t to say Anunoby isn’t worth it, but he was known for missing time with the Knicks as much as he was playing well for them. He missed a total of about eight weeks recovering from elbow surgery after the trade, and then missed the final five games of the East Semifinals against Indiana.
But when OG Anunoby did play, the Knicks were 26-6 in both the regular season and playoffs. He can expect to slot right back into the starting lineup at small forward, likely shifting Josh Hart back to the bench.
Clearly, team president Leon Rose thinks Anunoby is worth the cash. This makes things interesting for New York down the road, particularly as it pertains to centers Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson. One is as good as gone in free agency, and the other could be traded on Draft Night.
But what about even further in the future? Julius Randle’s contract is up after next season, and he’s said he wants to retire a Knick. Jalen Brunson is also set to sign an extension after July 1.
Needless to say, these New York Knicks are no one-hit wonder. And they’re willing to overpay OG Anunoby to prove it.
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