The New York Knicks capped off the regular season with one of the best in franchise history, winning 50 games and claiming the Eastern Conference’s second seed for the first time since 2012-13. The turning point of the season came in late December when they acquired OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors and said goodbye to RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
Anunoby’s impact was felt instantly, as the Knicks went 14-2 in the month of January, and 20-3 overall in the games he played in. His presence is a big reason why New York is in the position they are currently in.
OG Anunoby has enjoyed his time with the Knicks
The two-way forward is an impending free agent, and the Knicks will likely prioritize re-signing him this summer to a long-term deal. After their season finale victory against the Chicago Bulls, Anunoby reflected on his time playing for the Big Apple thus far.
“Oh it’s a great team, great organization. Front office is great. Fans are great. Great city. MSG is great. It’s been great so far,” Anunoby said via the New York Daily News’ Kristian Winfield.
The Knicks will likely try to bring Anunoby back long-term
The Knicks would love to be able to bring Anunoby back, as his impact is nearly irreplaceable thanks to the seamless fit he is to the roster. New York had an outstanding 13.2 net rating in the 23 games he has played with the Knicks, compared to a 1.8 net rating in the 27 games he missed while nursing a right elbow injury.
As for Anunoby, he had the fourth-highest plus-minus in the entire NBA since Jan. 1 at +353 and boasted a positive plus-minus in each of the 23 games he played.
With the playoffs on deck, the Knicks will hope to get that same valuable production out of Anunoby. They will need it more than ever, as they will be without All-Star Julius Randle throughout the entire postseason.
As long as Anunoby is on the court, the Knicks have an opportunity to go on a deep playoff run this year. It will be a daunting task, but this team with him is in a great position to make some noise this postseason.
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