Should NBA contenders pay this asking price for an OG Anunoby trade? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday and we’ve already seen one major deal completed.
Kyrie Irving was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks over the weekend in a blockbuster transaction that included multiple players and draft picks.
Another quality player who could potentially be moved before the Feb. 9 trade deadline is Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby. The Raptors are a half-game out of the 10th seed, which is the final berth into the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. Even though Toronto is still in the mix in the playoff race, this team is no longer a real contender to win the conference title.
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If the Raptors decide to re-tool or rebuild, Anunoby is one player who could fetch Toronto several good assets.
“OG Anunoby is a player around the league — there is great interest in him. (He plays) probably the most important position in the league at that wing-forward,” ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski said during the network’s “NBA Today” show on Jan. 27.
“A 6-foot-7 player, a two-way player. I think there’s a belief that Toronto could get as many as 3 first-round picks in a deal for Anunoby if they decided to move him. They’ve certainly talked with teams to see what the market is on him and I think virtually everybody on that Raptors team.”
Anunoby is a very good 3-and-D player. He can play multiple positions at both ends of the floor and defends perimeter players quite well. He’s also a solid offensive contributor. Anunoby is averaging 16.9 points per game on 36.6 percent shooting from 3-point range.
The 2017 first-round pick is also signed through next season with a player option for the 2024-25 campaign. His salary cap hit is $17,357,143 for this season and $18,642,857 for next season, per Spotrac. So, Anunoby wouldn’t be a rental if a team acquires him before this year’s trade deadline.
A potential asking price of three first-round picks, and maybe other assets, is pretty steep. But for contending teams in need of a 3-and-D wing for the playoffs, Anunoby might be one of the best trade targets out there. He could play a significant role in the playoffs for one of these title contenders.