OG Anunoby Could Be a Pricey Free-Agent Target For 76ers

Stephen Douglas | May 23, 2024

May 19, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) celebrates his three point shot against the Indiana Pacers during the first quarter of game seven of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

OG Anunoby is expected to become a free agent this summer, approximately six months after he was acquired by the New York Knicks.

A key part of their first-round series victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, the Knicks would love to have the small forward back next season and beyond. But he could be a potential target for a number of teams on the open market including the Sixers, who according to SNY's Ian Begley, "have seen Anunoby as an offseason target."

According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the 76ers were interested in Anunoby before he was traded to the Knicks, but are they really still interested? The Knicks can offer Anunoby a five-year, $245 million deal, which seems like a lot, but we may just be at a period in NBA history where everyone has to recalibrate how much players are making.

Fred VanVleet and Zach LaVine will both make about $43 million next season. If DeAndre Ayton is making $34 million for a lottery team, you can certainly justify $50 million for a guy contributing to a possible championship contender. Keep in mind there are rich new media rights deals being worked out as we speak. Of course, that also means the Sixers, who are also championship contender-adjacent right now, could justify making a huge offer to Anunoby.

This and Bagley's comment were discussed on the PHLY Philadelphia 76ers podcast yesterday. They don't sound very optimistic.

On today's show, we will NOT be focusing on Paul George.

OG Anunoby has been re-attached to the Sixers ahead of free agency. Can they (and should they) steal him from the Knicks?

Discussing with @_devongivens
and @DerekBodnerNBA
at 2:30https://t.co/QPxHrei1JB pic.twitter.com/CI5GMawuIz

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) May 22, 2024

Not five minutes into the podcast Kyle Nuebeck and Derek Bodner agree that Anunoby is "off the board" for Philadelphia.

"The Knicks gave up, not just picks, but young players as part of this deal," Nuebeck reasoned. "And normally you don’t do that unless you have a pretty good indication like this guy’s going to stay. Here’s the more telling thing for me. If OG was going to be an actual free agent this summer and was getable there is very little chance he plays in that Game 7 in the physical condition that he’s in. Like, I respect how competitive he is. I think his teammates certainly appreciated it. If his future earning potential was on the line Game 7, no responsible team around him, no responsible individual person in OG Anunoby is saying put me on the floor coach. They are sitting wrapped in ice, maybe in a nice suit on the sidelines."

They also brought up how Anunoby’s agent is Leon Rose’s son, which does seem like a big orange and blue flag here.

Anunoby averaged 14 points and four rebounds in 23 regular season games for the Knicks. He also averaged 15 points and six rebounds during their postseason run, but hurt his hamstring and missed most of the last five contests of the team's series against the Indiana Pacers. With a fully healthy and highly paid roster next year, who knows what will happen.