The New York Knicks' OG Anunoby became one of the franchise's most exciting and memorable players during the team's magical 2023-2024 playoff run. Now, Anunoby is “widely expected to decline his $19.9 million player option for next season” according to a report from Yahoo! Sports, which could leave Coach Tom Thibodeau's Knicks in a bind.
Anunoby's next destination has been the subject of the rumor mill, a situation worth watching for Knicks fans going forward.
The former Indiana Hoosier's free agency update came during injury updates on another Knicks trade acquisition and its superstar Jalen Brunson. The Knicks' biggest offseason need was also addressed.
OG Anunoby's Potential Free Agency Plan
The Yahoo! report went on to state that Knicks nemesis Pascal Siakim is expected to re-sign with the Pacers this offseason, but Anunoby's free agent situation with the Knicks is “not as cut and dried.”
The question is whether or not Anunoby will be able to take the example shown to him by his contemporaries to ‘elicit a larger dollar figure from the Knicks,' the report added. Anunoby is a strong candidate to become an unrestricted free agent and consider deals from other franchises, sources said according to the Yahoo! report.
The Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder have been listed as potential landing spots for Anunoby, who is still 26 years old but comes with a long history of injury-related concerns.
Anunoby's Impact to Knicks
Anunoby averaged just under 15 points and shot nearly 50 percent from the field last season for the Knicks. The versatile, athletic small forward could be a big part of a possible NBA Finals run next season should he choose to return.
For now, Anunoby seems content to wait for other dominoes to fall into place, leaving Coach Thibodeau and the Knicks brass with plenty of time to decide how to approach the situation.
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