The New York Knicks have been tied to several trade forecasts for OG Anunoby, but a recent mock deal introduces a new talent that could take his place.
Knicks could swap OG Anunoby for Domantas Sabonis
The Sporting News’ Dean Simon posed that the Knicks should trade Anunoby and Miles McBride to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Domantas Sabonis:
“In a hypothetical negotiation between New York and Sacramento, the Knicks could get a deal across the finish line financially by offering to part with two-way star and 2019 NBA champion OG Anunoby along with their beloved young guard Miles McBride and draft capital.”
Knicks: Sabonis’ play style would work well in New York
The Knicks would be giving up a tremendous amount of defensive prowess by sending Anunoby away. However, New York would drastically upgrade their ball movement in the half-court as well as their scoring.
Sabonis ranks No. 5 among all non-point guards in the NBA, averaging 6.1 assists per game. The 28-year-old big man, much like Knicks All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, is great at finding cutters for high-percentage looks in the half-court.
Additionally, Sabonis can score from every area of the floor. The Gonzaga product’s 18.9 points per game outpace Anunoby’s 17.5 PPG.
Seeing that he’s the NBA’s leading rebounder, as well as a more efficient scorer, Sabonis could form a harmonious two-big pairing next to Towns in New York. The Knicks don’t run a fast-paced offense, which would allow for them to maintain their fabric while adding a new layer to the interior.
The Knicks would also have to find a new talent to man their sixth man slot as a result of relinquishing McBride in the deal. Nevertheless, an elite star like Sabonis would gift New York’s ensemble with a third franchise player.