New York Knicks star forward OG Anunoby used his influence to land his max contract this offseason and remain in the NBA’s biggest media market.
According to Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News, “Anunoby threatened to leave the Knicks as a free agent just months after acquiring him” from the Toronto Raptors.
In December, the Knicks gave up 2023 Sixth Man of the Year finalist Immanuel Quickley, former third overall pick RJ Barrett and a second-round pick (via Detroit), which turned out to be 31st overall pick Jonathan Mogbo, to acquire Anunoby with the intent of keeping him.
Anunoby played his cards right, knowing the Knicks couldn’t replace him if he left. The Knicks went 26-6 in Anunoby’s 32 games.
“With no room in the salary cap to sign free agents and having sacrificed key players to acquire their star forward, the Knicks ultimately relented and Anunoby secured the richest deal in franchise history: five years, $212.5 million,” Winfield wrote.
Anunoby’s deal included all the amenities: a player option for the final year and a trade kicker.
The Philadelphia 76ers were the Knicks’ biggest threat as Anunoby’s top target. Paul George had been eyed by the Golden State Warriors in a feisty effort in the days leading up to the start of free agency.
Fortunately for the Sixers, talks between the Warriors and the Clippers fell through and the Clippers landed George on a four-year, $212 million max deal after Anunoby stayed with the Knicks.
It would have been a disaster for the Knicks if they had lost both Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed a three-year deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, which they couldn’t match because of his early bird rights, this offseason.