With the Raptors finally making a move amidst a disappointing season, it's clear the team is interested in building around Scottie Barnes and are more willing to move their veteran pieces for the right price. Raptors fans should feel a lot less concerned now that they have one less free agent to worry about. I've listened to a few analysts and looked through the fan's perspective and it seem the reception on both sides looks great, a lot of NBA fans say the Raptors won the trade without getting to know who OG is as a player. It's sort of trade where both teams win in different aspects of the trade. Raptors went young with a 23 and 24 year old and Knicks traded for a better fit who already increases the ceiling on the Knicks team. OG signed with CAA sports and has Leon Rose's son as his agent, there's a reason why he's in New York right now.
RJ Barrett seems to be an ok finisher with a 60% FG% from close to the paint, but it seems he's much confident finisher down in transition. It seems he was given a more off-ball role in New York which I think hampered his development a bit. He's also a below-average shooter and Knicks Fans kinda accepted the fact this will always be RJ as a player. Defensively he has size but is very inconsistent with moving his feet to deny drives but it seems has room to grow on that end. Shooting will be tough to fix but now that he's been given a starting role as a option at the guard spot which is a big hole for the Raptors, he can potentially thrive 2 or the 3 and get more reps on a retooling Raptors team.
I would say IQ is the real gem of this deal and with him being in it, it seems the Raptors are much more interested in younger players than first round picks. With the addition of the 6th man of the year candidate, it's gonna be a few game adjustment period where he has to fit in Darko's 0.5 system and learn to play as a starter. Since Darko allows Siakam to play his more signature iso oriented plays, I think Darko will be a lot more willing to give IQ to shot-create for himself for his own development. IQ is a combo guard, being able to play both on and off the ball. It seems he prefers to play more on the ball when he was asked about how he would compliment the Raptors roster but it seem he takes pleasure in wanting to create better shots for those around him when he has the ball in his hands.
Me personally, I will always be an OG fan wherever he goes and I am a bit disappointed that the Raptors couldn't keep him long-term or that they didn't trade him in the last deadline when he had much more value, I feel the front office is very late with these kind of decisions and they could have handled the FVV situation last year a lot better just like they did with OG this year.
Raptors News/ Trade Rumours
Shams reports that the Detroit Pistons are looking to add a four man
“I’m told some names to to keep an eye on, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Tobias Harris and Miles Bridges” - Shams Charania (Siakam for a package around Ivey then it could interest the Raptors somehow)
The Mavericks’ offer for Pascal Siakam could be a package surrounding Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green and draft picks, per Jake Weinbach
"The Raptors are putting Gradey Dick through a strength and conditioning process over the next couple of weeks. They’re planning to send him down to the 905 eventually before getting him back up and into the rotation with the big club." - Aaron Ben Rose
From last night on Gradey: "He needs to check a couple of points before we really unleash him on the court." - Darko Rajaković
"New York has been pursuing Anunoby for significant period of time and now gets a head start on recruiting him to stay as a free agent in the summer. Anunoby's two-way talent has made him a target throughout the league -- and now he lands in the Knicks' lineup." - Woj (We knew Knicks had interest for a while, just unexpected that a trade would come from them)
"The trade is the first between the teams since 2013 and comes amid an ongoing legal dispute between the franchises. The Knicks sued the Raptors and members of the organization in August over allegations that a former Knicks employee sent confidential files to the Raptors upon his departure. There is no change to the lawsuit's status despite the trade, sources said." - Woj (Baffling how two teams amidst a lawsuit were able to make a trade just like that, crazy)