76ers News: East Rivals Lands Top Trade Target

OG Anunoby traded from Toronto Raptors to New York Knicks

For most of this season, OG Anunoby has been the top player mentioned when it came to trade targets for the Philadelphia 76ers. Following recent events, he will no longer be on their radar. 

On Saturday afternoon, news emerged that the Toronto Raptors decided to move on from the two-way wing. He was sent to the New York Knicks in exchange for a package centered around RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. 

The Toronto Raptors are finalizing a trade to send OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks for a package including RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and draft considerations, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Z81TH1EexF

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 30, 2023

This trade impacts the Sixers in two ways. For starters, they can no longer pursue Anunoby as a means to upgrade the roster. On top of that, one of the teams in the conference just got better. 

Led by Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, the Knicks now have one of the top perimeter defenders in the league. Anunoby has played in 27 games for the Raptors this season and averaged 15.1 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 37.4% from three. 

Acquiring Anunoby doesn't turn the Knicks into a clear title contender, but certainly could help them climb in the standings. Currently, they sit in seventh place with a record of 17-14. They are five games behind the Sixers, who are in third place at 22-9. 

Following this move, Daryl Morey and the Sixers' front office now need to pivot. Rumors indicated they are prioritizing a two-way threat, and Anunoby fit that description perfectly. 

Luckily for Morey and the Sixers, they still have a lot of time to pursue other avenues to get better. The trade deadline is over a month away (February 8th), and the market can change a lot before then. 

Looking at the schedule, the Sixers will see the new-look Knicks very soon. They are set to face off against one another on January 5th.