It was a common line of thinking among NBA fans on social media that the New York Knicks were on the losing end of the trade that brought OG Anunoby to the Big Apple. Many fans rued the fact that the Knicks traded away Immanuel Quickley to get Anunoby. However, Anunoby is performing at quite a high level, fulfilling his role as a seamless 3-and-D fit for a team that was in need of some talent consolidation, particularly on the wings.

One player alone cannot change a team's defensive outlook. But Anunoby may be the player whose mere presence on the court elevates everyone else on the defensive end. The Knicks are 2-0 upon his arrival, and they have been a more stifling team to score against, allowing just 100 points in their blowout win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.

In fact, even Jalen Brunson, who's no stranger to the athletic capabilities of lockdown defenders he has been teammates with (Mikal Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith, even Reggie Bullock at his best), has his jaw on the floor after witnessing OG Anunoby overwhelm the opposition with his freakish defensive tools.

“I don’t know. The dude’s just a freak of nature. I’m watching the same thing you guys are watching. Just like, “Oh, wow! Mmm. OK,'” Brunson said, per Fred Katz of The Athletic.

This “freak of nature” defensive capabilities are what made OG Anunoby quite the attractive trade target for teams starting last season. He routinely ranks among the elites in perimeter defensive metrics, and to top it all off, he passes the eye-test with ease. He remains glued to opposing ballhandlers on pick-and-rolls, and he uses every inch of his 7'2 wingspan to disrupt passing lanes and get a hand up to make life difficult for shot-creators.

Anunoby is a huge upgrade for the Knicks at the three, as he gives the team a bonafide stopper at the point of attack. The Knicks are also able to lean more into their identity as a team that beats opponents into submission with their size and relentlessness on the glass, with Immanuel Quickley plying his trade in the North.

Are the Knicks a championship-caliber team? That remains unclear. But with Jalen Brunson and company having OG Anunoby around, they became an even more difficult playoff out than they already were.