Kofi Inkoom
OG Anunoby has declined his $19.9 million player option for next season, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic. As anticipated, Anunoby will now enter free agency as an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Even though teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder are expected to show interest in Anunoby, the Knicks have the advantage of matching any offer and potentially offering him a longer contract with more money.
A recent report by hoopsrumors indicated that OG Anunoby’s expected minimum salary for his next contract is $35 million annually. This means that teams outside the Knicks will need substantial salary cap space or the ability to execute a sign-and-trade to pursue him.
While there aren’t many teams in this category, the Philadelphia 76ers, and maybe the Thunder, are few of the teams with enough cap room that could potentially be interested. Anunoby could be considered a backup plan for them if the 76ers’ fail to secure Paul George in free agency.
Knicks now have to rely on their financial flexibility to persuade Anunoby to stay, despite any concerns he may have about his role on the team.
During the regular season, Anunoby played 14 games for the Knicks, averaging 15.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 51.6% from the field and 39.1% from three-point range.
In the playoffs, he appeared in eight games, contributing 16.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game.
His postseason was cut short due to a hamstring injury suffered in May against the Pacers in the EC semifinals, preventing the Knicks from advancing to the conference Finals for the first time since 2000.
The free agency period kicks off on June 30.