The New York Knicks are set to retain OG Anunoby with a five-year contract valued at $212.5 million, sources informed ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Anunoby’s new agreement includes a player option and a trade kicker, reflecting his importance to the team’s future plans.
Last season, the 26-year-old forward averaged 14.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and a combined 2.7 blocks and steals per game across 23 appearances for the Knicks, following a midseason trade from the Toronto Raptors.
Anunoby played a pivotal role in the Knicks’ playoff campaign, contributing 16.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 39.5% from three-point range in the team’s first eight postseason games. He battled through a hamstring injury, which sidelined him for Games 3-6 against the Indiana Pacers. Despite returning for Game 7, he played limited minutes due to the lingering injury.
Previously declining a $19.9 million player option for the 2024-25 season, Anunoby was poised to enter free agency and negotiate with all 29 other NBA teams if a deal with the Knicks hadn’t been reached by June 30.
Sources indicated that Anunoby had potential maximum contract offers from other teams, but ultimately agreed with the Knicks’ vision for the future. Due to league regulations, offers from other teams would have been limited to four years under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
OG Anunoby had max offers from other places but saw the vision with the Knicks and wanted to help build a true contender in the Garden, SNY sources say.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 26, 2024
The Knicks’ agreement with Anunoby follows their recent acquisition of Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for five first-round draft picks. Bridges, 27, is expected to join Anunoby in the starting lineup for the 2024-25 season, alongside All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson, who previously played alongside Bridges at Villanova, where they won two national championships. Former Villanova teammates Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo are also slated for significant roles in the Knicks’ rotation next season.
