RADIO
Lance Roberson makes a quick analysis of the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors following the trade featuring OG Anunoby.
Finally, after years of the Toronto Raptors letting core players leave in free agency, their front office saw the light by trading OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks for RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a second-round pick.
Unlike many trades in seasons past, there was no smoke to reveal a coming fire.
With five different players involved, this out-of-nowhere trade causes ripples in the pool of fantasy basketball. Let's take a look at some of the potential effects of this trade.
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Who Was Traded Where?
The Knicks are sending Barrett, Quickley, and a second-round pick to Toronto for OG Anunoby, backup guard Malachi Flynn, and backup center Precious Achiuwa.
Barrett was a starter for the Knicks in his fifth season with New York, while Quickley was their sixth man and main scorer off the bench.
Anunoby was the Raptors' starting 3-man and is in his seventh season in the NBA. Both Achiuwa and Flynn are in their fourth NBA seasons but were playing sparingly for the Raptors.
What to Make of the Trade
While a few significant playoff implications arise from the Knicks' vantage point, the main player I think of is the Raptors' "leading man," Pascal Siakam. Already a victim of poor usage and seemingly left in irrelevancy as the Raptors float closer to the NBA lottery with each stroke of the schedule, the 2019 NBA champion will have to fight for shots with shoot-first Quickley and ball-dependent Barrett complicating the Raptors' problematic shot chart. Any fantasy manager harboring Siakam on the roster might want to think of an escape plan.
The Toronto Raptors are finalizing a trade to send OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks for a package including RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and draft considerations, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Z81TH1EexF
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 30, 2023
Aside from getting the three-and-d wing necessary to make a deep run in the playoffs, the Knicks also won the battle in ridding themselves of two players who only get in the way of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. Two fantasy advantages worth noting: Expect more 30-point performances from Brunson, and since Barret lacks an adequate three-point shooting stroke, I anticipate an open floor for Randle to create easier offense in half-court settings.
While the Raptors did technically obtain a pick, albeit a second-round selection, they also traded for a player under a suspect contract and a prospect up for an extension. It seems more hurt than help came from the trade, at least in the short term for Toronto. Quickley's short-term fantasy stock goes up, while Barrett's is likely about the same.
In New York, it's possible that Achuiwa will get some meaningful minutes at center with the Knicks having lost Mitchell Robinson for the season and Jericho Sims for an extended period of time. He could eventually eat into Isaiah Hartenstein's minutes.
RotoBaller will continue monitoring the two teams as they offer intriguing fantasy storylines.
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