The Toronto Raptors didn’t want to trade OG Anunoby to acquire Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers, according to NBA insider Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. The Blazers wound up trading Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Anunoby is looking for greater ball-handling opportunities that can result in a commensurate salary increase.
“The 26-year-old swingman has a player option for the 2024-25 season, took meetings with several agencies before leaving Klutch Sports for CAA and informed various representatives, sources said, that he is looking for greater ball-handling opportunities that can result in a commensurate salary increase,” Fischer wrote in his latest NBA trade column.
Anunoby averaged 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists last season for the Raptors while shooting 47.6% from the field, 38.7% from beyond the arc and 83.8% from the free-throw line. Toronto drafted Anunoby with the 23rd overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He signed a four-year, $72 million rookie contract extension in December 2020 and is eligible to sign a four-year, $116 million extension with the Raptors.
Anunoby has career NBA averages of 11.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He won the 2019 championship with the Raptors over the Golden State Warriors in six games. It appears Anunoby will begin the 2023-24 season in Toronto after an offseason of trade rumors.
However, with Jerami Grant signing a five-year, $160 million contract from the Blazers, the market for Anunoby could be all the more complicated to resolve on a new contract. Maybe that’s what pushes the Raptors to trade Anunoby so they don’t lose him for nothing next offseason if the talented defender declines his 2024-25 player option and enters free agency.
