Watch the NBA | Anunoby went to the Knicks, the "first 3D" on the market, and that's gone?

Transaction content

The Raptors get: Barrett, Quickley, Pistons for 2024 second-round picks

The Knicks get: OG Anunoby, Achiuwa, Flynn

Anunoby has been the brightest star in the trading market for the past two seasons. The whole league lacks a striker, and Toronto has a basket of resources in their hands, so they are full of confidence, and they are the loudest.

It's true that players are good players, but there is always something to be reasonable about pricing and trading. Raptors President Ujerry previously shouted a heroic declaration of "three first-round players sent to the north, and the first 3D hugs home". Who can afford this?

You'd better keep it for yourself.

Of course, we all know that Ujari is not unpopular, he dared to shout like this at that time, in the final analysis, because he didn't want to send Anunoby away, hanging a high price is completely a straight hook and other destined people, if he can't catch it, then continue to cultivate immortals. The Raptors were at a crossroads at the time, hesitating on whether to tear down the lineup and rebuild it, or to continue to repair the lineup. While the Raptors have been at this crossroads for years, no one understands the essence of procrastination better than the Raptors — but it doesn't matter, they won't be showing their true sincerity in the trade market until the time the Raptors think it's right.

As a result, the Raptors played back to the pistol twice, which can be called a reverse version of "a girl has to take one when she buys it":

In '21, the Raptors used 1 first-round pick to get Thaddeus Young from the Spurs with a spillover forward. At the time, I couldn't understand why the Raptors, who had a bunch of fronts, were bringing in Young — and now... Kindness... I can't understand it. I can only understand that Ugeri saw an ancient spell in a certain secret book, if they can gather 7 strikers between 2.01 meters and 2.08 meters tall, they can summon the ancient tyrannosaurus and become a real raptor;

In '22, the Raptors used 1 first-round pick to get the veteran Poeltl from the Spurs. The purpose of this deal is certainly clear, the Raptors have been short of a proper center for the past two years, and the frontcourt lineup composed of naked and pure forwards at the No. 5 position has not handed over a defensive report card that matches their level of effort. Poeltl was one of the few big centre-forwards on the market at the time. Since the Raptors don't want to dismantle the team yet, it makes sense for them to make up for this weak link.

But the aftermath of Poeltl's deal is that they won't have a good season due to the 2024 first-round pick (top-6 pick protected). The Raptors are currently 12th in the East, and if the season ends immediately, they have about a 32% chance of keeping the season in the first round. This probability is obviously not safe. If the Raptors choose to dive down and finish in the bottom five, their chances of retaining the first round will at least double to 64%. But there are two more problems at hand:

First of all, it's not good to be 5th from the bottom. The Pistons, Spurs, and Wizards can be described as the three supreme brothers, and they can't catch up with the Raptors if they kill them. The Trail Blazers are GOAT-level in the dive class, and no one can "beat" them in the game they want to lose. At most, the Raptors are unlucky to catch up with the Hornets and Grizzlies, who subjectively don't want to pose, and objectively encounter things;

What's more, the 2024 draft is a small year, and even if the Raptors keep this time, the first round for the Spurs will still be postponed to 2025 or even 2026. With the Raptors' Xi, they couldn't possibly swing for three years in a row. Giving the first round to Spurs this year is the best choice.

Therefore, the Raptors sent Anunoby away, which does not mean that they want to open and plan to lie down, just because if they don't make a move now, when Anunoby leaves the team by himself in the summer, the Raptors will not be able to get anything. This plot has already played out with VanVleet, and obviously, the Raptors don't want the same plot to happen again with OG and Sika. It is precisely because Anunoby has half a season left to leave the team freely, so the Raptors can't sell it for a high price now. It was too much to shout 3 first rounds before, but now I haven't won 1 first round, and the contrast between before and after is somewhat funny.

But the Raptors are not insatiable and have been counterattacked, the sky-high asking price is just a strategy, and everyone is not stupid. The situation of the Raptors is more like, "hesitate and lose", and miss the opportunity to cash out at the high point, then you can only get what you get.

Why did the management, who brought the Raptors a championship with two decisive trades, be so entangled this time?

Success is also a front, and defeat is also a front.

In 18, the Raptors, who ranked first in the East, were swept by the Cavaliers in the playoffs, and the big internal defects and low core ceiling were the reasons for the Raptors' failure. At that time, Anunoby and Siakam were still immature, and the offensive and defensive fronts could not support the scene, which was also a situation that could not be ignored. After that, the introduction of Kazige to win a championship gave the Raptors a taste of the sweetness of having a top-level forward, and the league seems to have a broad consensus on the matter of "having a large number of high-quality forwards to compete for the championship". With good basic conditions, the Raptors continued to take the route of hoarding forwards, which was not unreasonable at the time.

We all know the plot after that, the Raptors have always been stuck in a position that is not up or down, and accompanied the old team to leave the team one by one, and the record is not as good as year after year. It is enviable to have many high-quality forwards, but you can't only have this one strength, the main attacker level is not enough, the space is blocked, the interior strength is not good, and the thickness of the lineup is getting thinner, and the Raptors are still far from the top teams. After bringing in Poeltl to improve the interior strength, the Raptors' situation has not improved this season. Poeltl is one thing to miss expectations, but the Raptors should also see that focusing resources on the forward line that pulls up the ceiling when the team's building framework is incomplete will not solve the problem.

These three rewards for the Raptors:

Quickley is an excellent bench developer, and he can relieve the pressure on the Raptors' backcourt to a certain extent, and will be in the Raptors' long-term plan. However, Quickley is also an expiring contract, and the difference between him and OG is that he will become a restricted free agent, and the Raptors have more initiative in renewing his contract. His contract renewal should be the "Four Little Swans" other than Maxey;

Barrett didn't go well on the main attacker track, a proper "production completion machine" for inefficient ball handling. However, if the comparison is Anunoby, then Barrett should be the better ball handler. This matter is not easy to ignore in the Raptors, because the Raptors may send away Siakam in the future, so Barrett can still continue his role in the Knicks and get the opportunity to train in the direction of ball carriers;

As for the draft pick that the Raptors got, because it is the second round of the Pistons in 2024, the value is close to the end of the first round, which is okay.

For the Raptors, the final evaluation of this deal depends on the development of Quickley and Barrett. The two, one is 24 years old and the other is 23 years old, which matches Barnes's timeline, and from this point of view, it is "promising".

Of course, if the Raptors had shot OG last year, they would have had a chance to take more than they do now. In the past two years, they have chosen to increase investment, rather than gradually "metabolizing" and accumulating the future team building framework earlier, which has made them lose a lot inside and out. Now, I have finally taken a step forward, and it can be regarded as a sea and a sky.

The deal was a little simpler for the Knicks.

Anunoby is a top-tier 3-and-D striker, and he has two key words:

One is "top";

One is "3D".

You can't just see the "top" and forget that it's a "3D". Anunoby has worked hard to develop the ball in recent years, and can do simple mismatch penalties, but he can't reach the level of a secondary attacker, and he hasn't broken through the ceiling of the "3D" genre. If you're on a top team in the playoffs, he should be seen as the last option on the offensive end.

Does the Knicks have this ability?

Not now, because the Knicks are only two ball-handlers left, Bronson and Randle. At this time last year, the Knicks were still a team with a ball overflow and a lack of 3D. Now it's the other way around, with OG, Hart, DiVincenzo, and Grimes in hand, and 3D overflowing. With Fournier's large contract, the introduction of a third ball carrier has become a priority.

If the Knicks can get such a role, then the value of OG can be fully reflected, and with him by Bronson and Randle's side, the Knicks will be more confident in facing the Eastern powerhouses in the playoffs.

From a contract perspective, although OG may become a full free agent by the summer, according to New York and Toronto, after all, New York is not the same thing, and OG itself is said to be willing to stay with the team to renew his contract, if so, it may be easier for the Knicks to deal with OG's contract extension than Quickley.

The other two fillers, Flynn really have a limited level. Achiuwa may be able to eat some bench interior rotation time in the context of Mitchell Robinson's injury.

The Raptors and Knicks each take what they need. When it comes time to make a decision, one gets two young people with an expiring contract, and the other hopes to raise the ceiling and start the top puzzle pieces, all of which make sense. But in the end, whether they can really win this deal depends on their own follow-up. The renewal of Quickley and OG, the future development of the two young people started by the Raptors, and the follow-up reinforcement of the Knicks are all key.

Anunoby's withdrawal from the market as soon as possible will also have an impact on other buyers who are looking to strengthen their front line and sellers who are holding the front puzzle pieces.

And there is a team that seems to have both identities?

Well, that's interesting.