NBA Insider Shares What OG Anunoby Can Expect to be Paid by Knicks

The Toronto Raptors weren't going to be able to pay OG Anunoby this summer as he heads toward a deal worth upward of $150 million with the New York Knicks

OG Anunoby is heading for a huge payday this summer.

The Toronto Raptors knew this was coming. It's why the organization opted to deal the 26-year-old forward to the New York Knicks earlier this season. There was no way to guarantee he'd re-sign with the organization and the risk of Anunoby leaving in free agency was too much for Toronto to accept.

Blame the NBA's collective bargaining agreement if you want.

The CBA prohibits players like Anunoby from signing extensions worth more than 120% of their current salary. In Anunoby's case, that meant the most Toronto could offer wasn't going to be enough to entice Anunoby into a deal.

Now Anunoby is looking at a deal worth upward of four years, $150 million this season, according to Tim Cato of The Athletic. Roughly $37.5 million per season is said to be the "floor" Anunoby should be willing to sign for one agent told Cato.

Anunoby's leverage could make that number balloon in New York because the Knicks can't offer Anunoby an extension before free agency either. A rival team could theoretically offer Anunoby a max contract, forcing the Knicks to respond or risk losing the 6-foot-9 wing for nothing.

Toronto went through a similar situation last summer with Fred VanVleet who declined to ink an extension with the organization and opted instead to test free agency. The Raptors had planned to re-sign the former All-Star point guard but when the Houston Rockets offered VanVleet a max contract over two years, Toronto backed down.

Since joining the Knicks in December, Anunoby has played in just 17 of the team's 41 games, averaging 14.5 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 36.4% from behind the arc.