In a short amount of time, the New York Knicks have gone from perennial laughingstocks to a legitimate playoff team, and now, with a couple of moves this week, they could be legitimate championship contenders next season.
On Tuesday, they traded a massive haul of draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges, one of the very best two-way wings in the NBA.
On Wednesday, they checked off another item from their summer to-do list by getting OG Anunoby to agree to a five-year, $212.5 million deal, per Adrian Wojnarowski.
Free agent F OG Anunoby intends to sign a five-year, $212.5 million contract to return to the New York Knicks, sources tell ESPN. Deal will include a player option and a trade kicker. pic.twitter.com/q5VcjOeryW
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 26, 2024
Anunoby, a 6-foot-7 3-and-D wing, was the man who, along with star guard Jalen Brunson, has had by far the most to do with the Knicks’ stunning turnaround.
In late December, as they were struggling to stay above .500, they sent RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a second-round draft pick to the Toronto Raptors for Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn.
Almost right away, New York took off going 14-2 in January, and they ultimately finished second in the Eastern Conference and came one win away from a conference finals appearance.
All of a sudden, Madison Square Garden was full of excitement on the regular, and the Knicks had an identity and a soul.
With Bridges, who averaged 19.6 points a game this season and is an outstanding defender, coming in, the talk is that the Knicks now have the personnel to seriously challenge the NBA champion Boston Celtics come playoff time.
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