Report: OKC Thunder Could Benefit From Knicks OG Anunoby Testing Free Agency

The Oklahoma City Thunder could benefit from OG Anunoby testing the waters this summer and lure away the coveted swingman.

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

The NBA Offseason is off and running for all but four teams still in the hunt for the elusive Larry O'Brien Trophy which sparks the summer scuttlebutt that will carry hoop heads from now until the dog days of August looking for crumbles of NBA content to pass the time.

The rumors are flying early including about a pivotal free agency period as the league sees more parity than ever and everyone feels in a position to go and bolster their roster with their varying degrees of assets at their disposal.

In the middle of this season, the New York Knicks pushed some of their chips in to make a swap with the Toronto Raptors which landed the Knicks OG Anunoby.

The 26-year-old helped lift New York to the second round of the NBA Playoffs before missing four of the seven tilts against the Pacers and only being able to play in four minutes of the decisive Game 7 due to injury.

However, now that the Knicks have been ousted and turned their sights to the summer, where Anunoby has the ability to become an unrestricted free agent. That is the sense many teams have gotten in this situation according to Yahoo! Sports' Jake Fischer.

"Various teams left Chicago [The NBA Draft Combine] with the belief that Anunoby could reach unrestricted free agency and consider deals from other franchises in addition to New York, sources said,” Fischer reported on Tuesday.

Should this situation materialize the Oklahoma City Thunder have a ton of cap space at their disposal to make a splash coupling with the unique contract situation of superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

If healthy, Anunoby - who Oklahoma City has checked in on in the past as they do with every quality player that hits the trade block - could instantly tie up their starting five making a massive impact on both ends of the floor. The swingman provides versatile defense which could take an already top-five unit to another level with the perfect play-finishing offensive skillset to compliment the Thunder's core.

Anunoby shot 41 percent on catch-and-shoot looks, 61 percent at the rim, thrived in transition, can be used on both ends of the pick-and-roll and would see even more cutting lanes open up in Bricktown to benefit from.

This season, Anunoby averaged 14.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.1 stocks a night shooting 48 percent from the floor, 38 percent from beyond the arc and 75 percent at the charity stripe in 50 games.

While it is yet to be seen the level of interest Oklahoma City has this go around, the swingman would fit like a glove on the 57-win club. It is certainly a situation worth monitoring as the offseason progresses.

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