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Knicks Sign Forward OG Anunoby To Five-Year, $212.5 Million Deal

TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 06: OG Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors is fouled by Dennis Schroder #17 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter at Amalie Arena on April 06, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)

New York Knicks came to terms with forward OG Anunoby, keeping him on the team in a five-year, $212.5 million deal. Anunoby arrived in New York in a trade with the Raptors earlier this year.

Anunoby opted out of his previous deal two days ago, entering free agency, but New York acted quickly to lock him down for the foreseeable future. The forward contributed to the Knicks’ historic 2023-24 season, in which they won 50 games and earned the second seed in the Eastern Conference. The forward contributed to the team’s historic 2023-24 season, in which they won 50 games He will rejoin teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Julius Randle and newly acquired star Mikal Bridges, who the Knicks received in a blockbuster trade with the Nets on Tuesday.

Though New York lost in the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season, injuries were mostly to blame for preventing the team from advancing further. Besides the Celtics, very few teams looked stronger throughout the regular season than the Knicks, who have retained most of their talent from last season and added Bridges, an iron man with elite playmaking ability.

New York first targeted Anunoby earlier this year for his size and skill on the perimeter. He delivered, scoring 14.1 points per game for the team and improving their defense overall.

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Injuries are a concern for the forward, who has missed nearly a full season’s worth of games over the last three years, but his results in New York are unquestionable to this point. The Knicks went 20-3 in the regular season when Anunoby appeared on the floor for them. He was integral in the team’s playoff series victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, though he did less for the team against the Pacers while he nursed a hamstring injury.

Many speculated that the Knicks were an over-performing team in the 2023-24 NBA season, taking advantage of the Bucks’ and 76ers’ regression to carve out a 50-32 record. As the team continues an extremely productive off-season, however, it’s becoming clear that the team might actually be getting stronger.