There has been a lot of interest in Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby on the NBA trade market this season, and this may have some bearing on his future.
At least four teams expressed interest in acquiring Anunoby before the impending trade deadline, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium on FanDuelTV Wednesday — including the New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers, in addition to the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks.
“I’m told the Suns, the Knicks, they’re still teams to look at, but I would also pay attention to the Pelicans, the Pacers, they’ve also registered some interest in OG Anunoby from what I’ve told,” Charania said. “So there’s a group of four or five times that I think will continue to be involved as we get closer to the Feb. 9 trade deadline.”
As a result of a sprained wrist, Anunoby is expected to miss the remainder of Toronto’s seven-game road trip. According to Charania, the injury does not appear to be “super serious” and there’s a chance he’ll be ready to play when the team returns home.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers & New Orleans Pelicans, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks Updates
Many around the league recognize Anunoby’s two-way ability in the midst of a strong season. Across 45 games this season, the 25-year-old has averaged 16.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.1 steals.
It seems Toronto is hesitant to trade Anunoby unless a substantial price is offered. On a team-friendly deal, he’s signed through the 2023-24 season.
The Raptors are 23-29 and ranked 12th in the Eastern Conference. There are also players on the team who are drawing trade interest, like Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr., so it might make sense to trade one or more of them to recoup assets.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers & New Orleans Pelicans, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks Updates
With a loaded 2023 NBA Draft on the horizon, the Raptors are not too far from being able to bottom out in order to maximize their outlook to land a talent like Victor Wembenyama or Scoot Henderson.
