The New York Knicks had to sign OG Anunoby to a five-year, $212.5 million extension in the summer of 2024. They had traded two core members of their roster for the wing, one of the league's best defenders and complementary offensive play-finishers. It remains the largest contract the organization has ever given out; Karl-Anthony Towns' current deal is for a greater amount of money but was signed by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Thus far, Anunoby has never made an All-Star or All-NBA team in his career. The Knicks' 16-3 postseason record, though, indicates that every dollar the team spent was worthwhile. And while it's easy to stack Anunoby's lack of accolades up against the sheer size of his contract, hosts Yossi Gozlan and Sam Quinn posed a fascinating question on the latest episode of the Third Apron podcast.
How many more traditional All-Stars were signed to deals just as large, seen as unquestionably worthwhile in the moment, that haven't aged so gracefully? In the limiting era of the second apron, Anunoby's impact merits revaluating his worth. Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker helped lead his team to the 2021 NBA Finals, but fell short of the championship. He's set to make $68 million in the final season of his current contract. Would Anunoby opting into the final year of his deal, at a $48 million valuation, be so crazy?
Leon Rose's Midas touch continues as Anunoby's Knicks deal ages well
The $20 million difference in annual salary at the end of Anunoby and Booker's respective contracts left Quinn asking which player NBA teams would rather have, at those prices, if they're trying to win a championship. The analyst mentioned that Booker will be making close to twice as much as Anunoby in the final year of their deals.
Both players have a player option for those respective years. Booker's, however, is for the season after Anunoby's. Nonetheless, the question approaches a potentially era-defining debate still stumping front offices across the NBA.
Is a player that has most of the characteristics of a "championship 1A," but has simply never proven to be that caliber of player, more valuable than an elite complementary player?
Anunoby could not shoulder the load of being a team's lead option on offense. Booker, who has made five All-Star teams, has done so throughout his entire NBA career thus far. Anunoby, however, was the perfect third banana throughout the Knicks' successful championship run. And he made about $15 million less than Booker last season.
The Boston Celtics just traded Jaylen Brown, who profiles more like Booker than Anunoby, out of fear of the amount of the salary cap the 29-year-old wing was taking up. It feels worthwhile to mention that Anunoby and Booker are both 29 years old themselves.
The Knicks were able to "overpay" Anunoby in free agency because of Jalen Brunson's team-friendly contract and the knowledge that another All-Star — previously Julius Randle, before Towns — would draw more of defenses' attention off of the athletic wing.
Now, it hardly looks like an overpay at all. Winning sure does answer a lot of questions.
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