OG Anunoby is coming back to the Knicks on a megadeal. The forward agreed to a five-year contract worth $212.5 million that includes a player option for the final season.
Anunoby, 26, carried heavy leverage into the negotiations and clearly flexed it before agreeing to the biggest contract in franchise history.
The total sum and average salaries destroyed the previous Knicks record, set by Carmelo Anthony and Julius Randle.
Concern about Anunoby’s extensive injury history are real. He hasn’t reached 70 games since his rookie campaign in 2017-18.
He didn’t exceed 50 games in three of the last four seasons, missing 27 with the Knicks last season because of an elbow injury that required surgery.
Anunoby then strained his hamstring in the playoffs and sat most of the second round, which ended with the Knicks falling in seven games to the Pacers.
Barring another seismic trade before the season starts, the Knicks’ lineup will include Anunoby, Bridges, Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle — a foursome built for championship contention.
The Gotham Reporter 