The New York Knicks are a little more than a week removed from signing small forward OG Anunoby to a five-year deal worth $212.5 million.
The contract makes him the highest-paid player for the Knicks as they truly begin to take their ascent towards becoming a contender not just in the Eastern Conference, but for the NBA title in 2025.
Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley graded the Anunoby signing, and while there are some good parts about the move, there are some drawbacks, which is why he eventually awarded the Knicks with a "B-".
"There are ways that this investment could go awry. There are reasons to worry how this contract could look during the final few years, as Anunoby is about to celebrate his 27th birthday and could've exited his prime before this agreement is up," Buckley writes. "Still, you can see the thought process behind what the 'Bockers were doing. All roads out of the East run through the Boston Celtics until proven otherwise, and the Knicks might have the depth and perimeter defense needed to present the biggest challenge to the reigning champions of any club in the conference."
Considering the fact that the Knicks traded away RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to acquire Anunoby on Dec. 30 put New York in a position to where it had to get a deal done because the team had already surrendered two big assets for him.
On top of that, the Knicks were clearly better when Anunoby was on the floor. The Knicks went 20-3 during the regular season when Anunoby played, and they were 30-29 when he was either with the Raptors or sidelined with an injury.
That trend continued into the playoffs, where the Knicks went 6-2 in games where Anunoby played more than five minutes and 1-4 when he didn't.
The hope is that Anunoby can stay healthy and continue to help the Knicks as they are on their quest for a title. His championship experience with the Toronto Raptors should be of value to the Knicks as he chases his second ring.
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