One NBA writer is proposing that the Indiana Pacers acquire OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors in a blockbuster trade.
Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report proposed that the Pacers trade Bennedict Mathurin, T.J. McConnell, a 2024 first-round pick (top-10 protected) and a 2025 first-round pick swap to the Raptors for Anunoby.
“Here, Indiana reels in former Hoosier OG Anunoby, sending the Raptors All-Rookie guard Bennedict Mathurin and T.J. McConnell, who’d have a case to start over Dennis Schröder at the point,” Hughes wrote. “If the Raptors aren’t confident they can reach an extension with Anunoby, they’d do well to extract assets for him now before he hits free agency next summer and potentially leaves for nothing.”
Anunoby is eligible to sign a four-year, $116 million extension with the Raptors, according to NBA insider Bobby Marks of ESPN. The swingman will make $18.6 million next season. He has a player option worth $19.9 million for the 2024-25 season.
“What is still unknown is if the new extension rules are enough to keep O.G. Anunoby in a Toronto Raptors uniform for the foreseeable future,” Marks wrote. “Anunoby is eligible to sign an extension up to $116 million over four years, a $16 million increase from the prior rule.”
Anunoby averaged 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists last season for the Raptors while shooting 47.6% from the field, 38.7% from beyond the arc and 83.8% from the free-throw line. Toronto drafted Anunoby with the 23rd overall pick in the 2017 draft. He signed a four-year, $72 million rookie contract extension in December 2020.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: OG Anunoby, Indiana Pacers & Toronto Raptors Updates
Anunoby has career averages of 11.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He won the 2019 championship with the Raptors over the Golden State Warriors in six games. The New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies have been heavily linked to Anunoby, who recently left Klutch Sports Group for CAA.
However, the Raptors are not “seriously” listening to trade offers for Anunoby, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Koreen, who covers the Raptors, believes there are two scenarios in which Toronto could trade Anunoby and one of them involves Pascal Siakam, who has one year left on his contract and is seeking a maximum extension.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: OG Anunoby, Indiana Pacers & Toronto Raptors Updates
“If Siakam signs the max extension the Raptors can offer him, he would make about $45.5 million in the second season of that contract, 2025-26,” Koreen wrote. “Let’s also assume Scottie Barnes signs a maximum rookie extension, starting at 25 percent of the cap, next summer, with that contract beginning in 2025-26. If the cap goes up by 10 percent every year, Barnes’ contract would start around $41.1 million.”
With Jerami Grant earning a five-year, $160 million contract from the Portland Trail Blazers, the market for Anunoby could be all the more complicated to resolve on a new contract and maybe the Pacers can swoop in and trade for the talented forward.
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