OG Anunoby to decline option with Knicks, become free agent

OG Anunoby.

OG Anunoby is declining his $19.9M option and will become an unrestricted free agent, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets.

It’s long been anticipated that Anunoby would test the free agent waters and he’ll be one of the most coveted players on the market. He ranked No. 5 among our top 50 free agents this summer. The Knicks still have the inside track on Anunoby, since they possess his full Bird rights.

However, it’s unlikely any team would be willing to max out Anunoby due to his lack of durability. As noted in our free agent rankings, injuries have cost him 29, 34, 15, and 32 games in the past four seasons.

However, when Anunoby suits up, he’s a difference-maker. After the Knicks acquired him from the Raptors, New York’s net rating during his 802 regular season minutes was an eye-popping +21.7. Both the Knicks’ offensive rating (122.6) and defensive rating (100.9) during those minutes would’ve ranked first in the NBA.

A recent report suggested that the floor for Anunoby’s next contract is $35M per year, meaning his non-Knicks suitors would be limited to teams that could create significant cap room or who are in position to pull off a sign-and-trade.

That list isn’t extensive, but the Sixers are among the cap-room clubs that could have interest. He’d be a fallback option for them if they couldn’t land Paul George in free agency.

Anunoby, 26, is in the prime of his career that began during the 2017-18 season. In 50 regular-season games this past season, he averaged 14.7 points,  4.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals.

He earned All-Defensive Team in 2022-23 but didn’t qualify this past season due to the 65-game minimum rule in the new CBA.

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