Toronto Raptors small forward OG Anunoby is expected to be one of the most coveted players on the trade market in the 2022 NBA offseason. Anunoby is yet to make an official trade request from the Raptors, but there are growing rumors about his unhappiness in Toronto. With the emergence of reigning Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report revealed that Anunoby "grew dissatisfied with his role" with the Raptors.
Anunoby may be under contract until the 2024-25 NBA season, but if he expresses his desire to leave, the Raptors could be forced to listen to offers for him this summer.
OG Anunoby To Golden State Warriors
One of the most intriguing landing spots for Anunoby is the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors may be currently focused on beating the Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals, but when the 2021-22 NBA season is officially over, they need to make a tough decision on Andrew Wiggins. With his remarkable performance, Wiggins is expected to demand a massive contract extension that will pay him approximately $ 37 million annually.
If they fail to agree on a new deal, the Warriors may consider replacing Wiggins with Anunoby in the 2022 NBA offseason.
Proposed Warriors-Raptors Trade
Having an exciting collection of young and promising players, the Warriors would be in a solid position to engage in a blockbuster deal should Anunoby and the Raptors decide to part ways this summer. According to an Eastern Conference executive who spoke to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, the Warriors should trade James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga to the Raptors to get Anunoby.
Sacrificing Wiseman and Kuminga for Anunoby would be a difficult decision for the Warriors. Still, it's something that they should strongly consider if Wiggins becomes too expensive to keep in Golden State.
Perfect Replacement For Andrew Wiggins
Anunoby is yet to earn his first All-Star recognition. Still, with his ability to play multiple positions, the Eastern Conference executive believes he would be the "perfect" replacement for Wiggins in the Warriors' wing.
"He can play three positions, he can guard five positions, he can shoot the three," the league executive said, referring to Anunoby. "The Raptors really wanted to build around him, but they're not so sure now. For a long-term replacement on Wiggins, he is perfect. He does a lot of what Wiggins does, maybe a better shooter and a better defender, but not quite the same pure scorer."
Raptors Get Two Young Players
While the Warriors are expected to think twice before making the deal, the proposed trade would be a no-brainer for the Raptors, especially if Anunoby is no longer interested in staying with the team. Instead of keeping a disgruntled player on their roster, the hypothetical deal would enable the Raptors to swap him for two young and promising talents in Wiseman and Kuminga.
At 21 and 19, respectively, Wiseman and Kuminga perfectly fit the timeline of Barnes. Wiseman may still be recovering from an injury, but once he regains 100 percent health, he will help the Raptors address their major frontcourt problem.
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