After a drawn out will they-won't they trade dance with the Toronto Raptors, the New York Knicks finally pulled off a blockbuster deal for OG Anunoby — giving the team an elite perimeter defender and one of the best 3-and-D guys in the association. However, to acquire talent, one must relinquish talent. In acquiring Anunoby, the Knicks gave up RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley — two pieces who established themselves as important players for the franchise prior to their departures.

Nevertheless, even if their paths may now be diverging, the brotherhood Barrett and Quickley have forged with their former Knicks teammates continue to grow. During their debut for the Raptors in Toronto's 124-121 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on New Year's Day, two-time All-Star Julius Randle was rooting for his former teammates, showing them love as he witnessed them grow their games even further from afar.

“🔒 in!!!! Let's go lil bros @rjbarrett @immanuelquickley__,” Randle wrote on his Instagram story.

 

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Julius Randle has been teammates with RJ Barrett on the Knicks since he made his move to the Big Apple prior to the 2019-20 season. Thus, Randle has been deep in the trenches with the 23-year old lefty. So there must be a plethora of emotions swirling through Randle's mind when news of Barrett's departure broke.

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Meanwhile, Immanuel Quickley was with the team starting in the 2020-21 season, one of the more successful seasons in recent Knicks franchise history. Quickley also looks like a star in the making, although it seemed like the Knicks didn't want to tie a considerable percentage of their available money to two small guards, what with the 24-year old guard eligible for a huge extension this coming offseason.

Whatever the case may be, it seems like Julius Randle and the Knicks, as well as the Raptors, both come out of their trade as huge winners. The Knicks were able to consolidate their talent in acquiring OG Anunoby, while the Raptors now have two pieces for their future in Barrett and Quickley. But there's also a human element to these transactions, and it's rarely the easiest thing to say goodbye.