The unbelievable has happened. The No. 3 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, who many thought would resurrect the then-struggling New York Knicks, was traded. RJ Barrett’s time in a Knicks uniform has come to an abrupt, bittersweet ending. Barrett, along with Immanuel Quickley and a 2024 second-round pick, were traded to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn.
Anunoby stands at 6-foot-7 and is a traditional small forward, yet has logged minutes at the four. The 26-year-old forward gives head coach Tom Thibodeau more leeway to experiment with the lineup if Julius Randle has an off night or sits against a lesser opponent. Achiuwa is 6-foot-9 and also possesses the ability to play at the four and five if needed. There is a strong likelihood that Achiuwa does play at the five, as starting center Mitchell Robinson suffered an injury on Dec. 8 and has no timetable to return.
On the day of the Dec. 30 trade, New York owned a record of 17-14, and since then, they have been on a tear, winning six of their last eight. The Raptors also improved, gaining a young core of the two guards, who have each taken over starting reigns for the 12th-place Raptors. Where Toronto could run into trouble is trying to keep the young guard. Since Quickley was traded to a new team, Toronto lost his “Bird Rights,” meaning they can’t go over the cap to re-sign him. However, he is a restricted free agent, meaning if they decide to pay a higher luxury tax, they can match any offer he gets and force him to come back. The belief is that they will pay him since he is such a good fit for the Raptors, and they gave up so much to get him.
While this trade feels like a stab to the heart to some Knick fans, this is a major win for a team that has looked mediocre up to this point. Not to mention that this was a squad that lacked wing size and never had a consistent scorer outside Jalen Brunson. Anunoby is ready to take New York to the next level. The Missouri native is an excellent wing defender, a huge plus for a coach like Thibodeau, and has the ability to knock down the three-ball at a high clip. The acquisition of the 26-year-old will also open up Julius Randle’s offensive game. While he has been playing well lately, Randle has his moments where he can’t do anything right on that end of the floor.
Whether it’s forcing poor shots up, playing too much like a guard, or not putting his 6-foot-8 frame to use, Randle doesn’t always perform to his potential. Anunoby spaces the floor, meaning Randle will be able to play his own brand of basketball and not be relied on to make plays every possession, and the numbers don’t lie. Since Dec. 30, the Texas native has improved in points per game, three-point percentage and free throws attempted, among other statistics.
Arguably, the most valuable piece of the entire trade was Quickley. The 6-foot-2 guard was nothing short of a diamond in the rough for New York. Despite running with the second unit, the combo guard was putting up all-star-level efficiency numbers. However, his contract was never extended because paying a backup point guard a $25-plus million annual salary never made sense. This trade confirms this notion and tells us that Quickley was going to walk for nothing, and you can’t let talent walk out the door without any return.
Unless Quickley was willing to take a massive discount, putting him around $15 million annually, it didn’t make sense to keep him. After all, the Knicks made a big signing this offseason, inking Donte DiVincenzo, another guard, to a four-year contract worth $50 million. What the Knicks lacked was a solid wing scorer. Quentin Grimes took over reigns in that department, although it became apparent early on that he was not starter caliber. Before the trade, there were too many heads to feed and Grimes never got the ball, thus destroying his confidence when he did struggle. His value has indirectly been increased with this trade, as he will get a bigger role in the secondary unit. He will be relied upon to put up at least 10 shots a night, a major increase from two or three.
A must-see game for all Knicks fans will take place on Jan. 20. Toronto will make the trek to “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” meaning Knick fans will get one more look at Barrett and Quickley this season. Not to mention, both teams are in the Atlantic division of the Eastern Conference, meaning they will suit up against each other at least four times per season. Possibly more with the new in-season tournament format.
This trade has shown short-term benefits for both sides: the Raptors receive key pieces in a rebuilding year and the Knicks find themselves one step closer to bringing their city its first championship in over 50 years. This deal is a great first step. While analysts like Kendrick Perkins think this trade is enough, only time will tell. Anything can happen from now to April, all we can do now is wait for the drama to unfold.