What Could OG Anunoby's Next Knicks Contract Look Like?

OG Anunoby has changed the New York Knicks' fortunes for the better but that could force them into a pricy new contract if he hits the free agent market.

The New York Knicks have concerns about OG Anunoby's immediate future but the true conundrum could focus on a more long-term issue. 

Anunoby, who has missed each of the last 15 Knick games with an elbow injury after a strong start, is expected to decline a $19,9 million player option that came over on his contract after a December trade with Toronto. 

Wendell Cruz, USA TODAY SPORTS

Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports pondered what a potential new deal in New York could look like short after Anunoby made his Knicks debut in January, noting that the presence of former Creative Artists Agency and current team president Leon Rose raises the likelihood of a long-term deal.

"(Anunoby said) further contract conversations would be left to his representation, CAA," Fischer wrote. "The agency's deep ties throughout Madison Square Garden has left plenty of expectation among NBA personnel that Anunoby will be finding some agreement far above the four-year, $118 million extension Anunoby was limited to signing but would not have accepted with the Raptors, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Anunoby has certainly proved his value in a limited sample size: the Knicks won 12 of their first 14 games of the new calendar year after he entered the lineup but have gone just 7-8 since then, as his absence has coincided with Julius Randle's own departure with a dislocated shoulder. 

Should Mitchell Remain on Knicks' Radar?

Anunoby averaged 15.6 points (on over 51 percent from the field) and 4.6 rebounds in 14 appearances as a Knick but his greatest impact was seen on defense: he put up nearly two steals a game and the team let up just over 100 points a game in that span.

New York recently enjoyed some good news on the Anunoby front: while he won't partake in Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG), Anunoby was recently cleared for on-court activities and there's optimism that he could be back on the floor by the end of the month.