Knicks could regret OG Anunoby's $212 million contract

Earlier this summer, the New York Knicks signed OG Anunoby to a five-year, $212 million contract . The Knicks were under some pressure to get an agreement in place after trading for the two-way forward in December 2023, giving up RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley as part of the deal.

After joining the Knicks, Tom Thibodeau's team went 26-6 with Anunoby in the lineup. However, he also missed 27 games due to injury, limiting his ability to perform at his top level once the playoffs began. Those injury concerns have former Phoenix Suns executive Amin Elhassan worried about the contract New York gave Anunoby earlier this summer.

“I’m not saying OG Anunoby’s not good,” Elhassan said during a recent appearance Sirius XM radio. “I’m not saying he’s not responsible for a lot of success [the Knicks] have had. I’m saying when you guarantee every last dollar of $212 million to a guy who’s been extremely injury-prone, including this awesome season you just had with him where he missed a bunch of time … you have to protect yourself somewhere...I think in a perfect world, he earns every last dollar of his contract, but alas, we don't live in a perfect world."

According to Cleaning The Glass , Anunoby played in 1,585 possessions for the Knicks last season, helping them outscore opponents by +22 points per 100 possessions. His most dominant lineup came alongside Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle and Isaiah Hartenstein, with that unit sharing the court for 374 possessions and outscoring opponents by +17.1 per 100.

New York has constructed a roster capable of challenging the Boston Celtics for the top spot in the East. Anunoby will have a big role to play, and his championship experience will be invaluable.  The addition of Mikal Bridges has further improved Thibodeau's team. Still, the Knicks must approach the upcoming season with caution.

There's no denying that the Knicks are a better team when Anunoby is in the rotation. His physicality, size, athleticism and defensive IQ make him the ideal forward in Thibodeau's system. However, his injury history must be of some concern. If he's unable to stay healthy, New York's chances of competing at the top of the Eastern Conference will suffer a blow, and his contract will quickly project as an overpay.