Knicks Forward Labeled 'Enormously Valuable'

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby hopes to showcase his skills in his first full season with the team.

May 19, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) warms up before game seven of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby proved his value immediately after his trade to the team in late December.

The Knicks began to turn a corner when Anunoby was acquired, signaling that he was going to be an important player for the team.

That's why the Knicks paid him $212.5 million over the next five seasons to stay with the team and why CBS Sports writer Sam Quinn declared him "enormously valuable" to New York.

"OG Anunoby is the 3-and-D archetype incarnate. He consistently makes between 36-40% of his 3-pointers on relatively high volume and he can capably defend all five positions. That is what OG Anunoby does, and it's really all he does. Despite reported interest in expanding his floor game in Toronto, Anunoby has seemingly accepted a role in New York in which he's mostly a spot-up threat who attacks closeouts. You're not getting a 20-point scorer here, and durability is a question mark, but 3-and-D is the one type of player literally every team needs. A player who maxes out both is enormously valuable regardless of what else he does or doesn't bring to the table," Quinn writes.

Anunoby, 27, has established himself as a key part of the Knicks core. He isn't going to be the best player or even the second-best in most lineups, but he will likely guard the opposing team's best player. That in itself is an important role to play, but one that he can play well.

As one of the best all-around defenders in the league, Anunoby will do the dirty work for the Knicks that doesn't show up much in the stat sheet. If he can continue to knock down an efficient percentage of his 3-point looks, he will only grow in value for the Knicks.

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