Would Knicks be a contender after this deadline trade for OG Anunoby?

What would a Knicks trade for OG Anunoby look like?

Since a blockbuster deal down the line will involve a combination of young players and picks, if the Knicks can make a trade work for Anunoby that doesn’t include their young core it would put them in a prime position. As such, a deal proposed by NBA trade site Fanspo has Derrick Rose and Cam Reddish going out as the matching salary.

The two first-round picks would be the Knicks’ own pick in 2023 and the Washington Wizards’ pick, which is protected 1-14 this year and will roll to 2024 if the Wizards miss the playoffs. Neither is therefore likely to fall in the lottery.

There is no premium asset here for the Toronto Raptors, so the Knicks would need to hope that Toronto favors the quantity-over-quality approach. What is nice is that neither of these picks has a ton of downside, either; the Knicks aren’t going to suddenly blitz to the top of the league standings, and whenever the Wizards convey this pick they will be unlikely to be much out of the lottery, if at all.

The Raptors probably demand some sort of young piece, whether that is Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, or Quentin Grimes. If there is another offer out there for two better picks, the Knicks could be sunk. If there isn’t, however, this would hand the Raptors a veteran shot-creator, a wing flyer, and lots of lower-upside swings at adding talent. It’s at least feasible enough to look at whether this would make the Knicks a contender.