If OG Anunoby is available, the New York Knicks must take full advantage

If the New York Knicks can strike a move for OG Anunoby, it could help the team take a much-needed step forward in the Eastern Conference.

During the offseason, when it was reported that Donovan Mitchell was seeking a traded or that the Utah Jazz was finally at the point where they were ready to trade him, it seemed as if the stars were finally aligning for the New York Knicks.

Not only did the Knicks have the array of future draft picks to offer in a potential deal for Mitchell, but from all indications he wanted to play for New York. Or, at the very least, they were on his short list of preferred destinations.

In the end, as history would remember, Mitchell was ultimatley traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers instead. For whatever reason, the Knicks missed an opportunity to land their superstar. Even though the Knicks are still set up to land the next disgruntled superstar, this is a team that can’t afford to miss the train again.

And it appears that the stars are, once again, aligning for the Knicks to make a big splash. With less than two weeks away from the NBA Trade Deadline, there could be another star on the open market. And there is some mometum that he could be moved by the deadline.

Over the past few weeks, the trade deadline spotlight has shifted toward OG Anunoby, who could be moved by the Raptors at the deadline. There are rumblings that he may not be happy with his role in Toronto and has already been linked to the Knicks as a potential landing spot.

This time around, the Knicks can’t afford to miss out on such an opportunity.

The New York Knicks should offer the farm for OG Anunoby

If Anunoby is traded at the deadline and it isn’t to the Knicks, this will be another missed opportunity that the team may not be able to live down. This team is set up for a star. You can make an argument that the Knicks are one star away from being a really dangerous team in the conference.

Sure, they still have some housekeeping of perhaps moving Julius Randle (who is actually playing quite well this season) and balancing out their rotation, but Anunoby would be an excellent fit next to RJ Barrett.

Anunoby is an excellent defender and is a better offensive player than he gets credit for. He’s a budding star that everyone seems to forget and likely hasn’t even reached the peak on his ceiling. The fact that the Knicks could offer three future first-round picks and still have plenty of future draft capital to work with is all you need to know about how much ammunition the team is working with heading into the NBA Trade Deadline.

If the Knicks are serious about taking a step forward, Anunoby is an option that the team should deeply explore over the next week and a half. And if the Raptors decide not to trade Anunoby, that’s fine. But if the Raptors trade Anunoby and the Knicks end up missing out on another star, the backlash wouldn’t be good. And rightfully so.

It’s time for the Knicks to cash-in for a star. And Anunoby is absolutely worth the price. The ball should 100 percent be in the Raptors’ court right now. Time will tell if it is.