Report: OG Anunoby projected to get $35-to-Max million contract

In the June 16 episode of The HoopsHype Podcast, NBA insider Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, along with New York Knicks beat reporters Ian Begley of SNY and Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News discussed a lot of Knickerbocker business ahead of the draft and free agency this summer.

Those topics included, mostly, what will happen with OG Anunoby as he is expected to decline his player option and enter unrestricted free agency, the two options available for Isaiah Hartenstein regarding his future, and other ancillary stuff such as dealing with other pending FAs and possible draft picks and deals.

We’re breaking down the podcast into three separate posts for easier digestion. You can listen to the full episode following the link above, or read about what these three discussed below and in our other two posts, as well as HoopsHype.

OG Anunoby’s Contract Projections

The folks started the episode discussing Anunoby’s free agency with Scotto highlighting the league-wide expectation that OG Anunoby will likely return to the Knicks although, for now, at an unknown value.

“The leaguewide expectation is that OG Anunoby will return to the Knicks. The question is, for how much?” Scotto said. According to the insider and executives feeding him nuggets, the league believes Anunoby’s contract floor is $35 million, although there is a chance the market goes bonkers and he bags a max deal.

“Two general managers told me they’d pay Anunoby $35 million annually and that a max would be tough because of his injury history,” Scotto said.

Begley, on the other hand, thinks that any offer exceeding $35 million would likely be driven by competitive bids from other teams, not because the Knicks value OG above that figure.

“If they go well beyond $35 million, it’s going to be because of Philadelphia, Oklahoma City, or another team with cap space coming in with a significant offer that forces the Knicks to exceed that,” Begley said.

Obviously, as Begley himself said, the Knicks are expected to be fully committed to bring OG back if only because of the trade package they sent to the Raptors in December, which include homegrown talents RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.

“If there’s a curveball there and Daryl Morey comes in and throws a big offer at Anunoby that forces the Knicks to go over the top, I think they have to because of what they gave up in the deal to get Anunoby here,” Begley said. “They’re committed to having him here long-term.”

Begley thinks the Knicks will bake some protections in any deal they sign OG to because of the injury concerns and Anunoby’s track record on that front.

“If I had to guess, I think there would be some injury protections in the deal or some stipulation with games played,” Begley said.

Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Finally, Bondy chimed in by throwing Paul George’s name into the conversation as a potential needly-mover for the Knicks and other franchises interested in OG or the pending LA Clippers free agent.

“If George doesn’t go to Philadelphia or Oklahoma City, those two teams will have to spend their money to get somebody,” Bondy said. “Anunoby is an attractive piece to bring to those two teams. It depends on the market, but I’d be very surprised if the Knicks don’t bring Anunoby back one way or another.”

OG is coming off a 23-game season with the Knicks after moving south of the border, averaging 14.1 points per game, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks in 34.9 minutes of playing time.

The do-it-all wing appeared in nine games during the playoffs, posting averages of 15.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.1 dimes, 0.9 steals, and 1.0 blocks in 36 minutes a pop.