The trade between the New York Knicks and the Raptors on December 30th was mutually beneficial. The Knicks gained OG Anunoby, bringing them closer to contention, while the Raptors received two promising young players in RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
Despite Anunoby’s absence due to surgery for bone spur irritation in his elbow, the Knicks are still a formidable team with him in the lineup. Meanwhile, Barrett has found more freedom in the Raptors’ offense, and Quickley has become a starter, averaging a career-high in points per game.
Initially, Knicks fans struggled with losing Quickley and Barrett, but Anunoby’s debut proved to be a significant upgrade. A month and a half later, both fan bases are satisfied with the trade, though some Raptors fans call Masai Ujiri the “ultimate finesser” for the deal.
However, it’s important to recognize that Leon Rose knew what he was doing, and Anunoby is a legitimate off-ball player and one of the league’s best defenders. The trade is still too fresh to determine a clear winner, as both organizations could benefit in the long term.
