SPANISH HARLEM – Even after posting my possible Knicks trades article last week, I was still caught off guard when I heard the news on Saturday. While the trade for OG Anunoby wasn’t the surprising part – the New York Knicks have clearly had interest in acquiring him for some time – the names that left in the trade were the surprising.
RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley were fan favorites. While the big fish was Barrett, I always loved watching Quickley. I really wanted him to remain in orange and blue. Sure, the contract extension for Quickley was a likely factor, but it was still hard to see him go. I know you must give up something to get something, but when you draft these guys and see them get better, the bond is stronger.
OG Anunoby was a coveted piece by many in the league, so the Knicks jumped at the chance to add a 3-D player that spaces the floor. It’s exactly what the Knicks need. Tthey wanted someone that can guard the elite wings and swingmen in the league. Before the trade the Knicks had nobody that could provide what OG provides and now they have one of the best in the league to do just that.
I know a lot of fans were angry to see Barrett and Quickley go, but the Knickerbockers needed OG and they had to sacrifice some important players to finally get him. Barrett goes back home to Toronto and Quickley can finally show he can lead a team as the top point guard. It’s a win-win for everybody involved. It hurts sometimes when you lose players you rooted on for years but it’s important to know that the Knicks got better as well.
Is this the end? Will the Knicks continue to revamp the roster and make more trades? I think they will. It won’t be the big trade that everyone wants. They will continue to look for pieces that make the team better this season. So far, they are off to a good start.
Let me know how you feel about the trade in the comments below.
That’s it for now, come back tomorrow for Jackson Sternberg, whose patience with Mets GM David Stearns may be wearing down.
