5 Winners and losers of the blockbuster Knicks-Raptors OG Anunoby trade

Loser: New York Knicks

New York has been eyeing Anunoby since last year, when it first became clear that he was available for trade. As a trade target, Anunoby was a reasonable player for the Knicks to monitor, as his game fits New York's system pretty well.

Anunoby has played alongside stars in Toronto throughout his entire seven-year career, and he has displayed the ability to play off the ball and space the floor for more ball-dominant players. On the other end, Anunoby is among the NBA's premier group of perimeter defenders, with a 6'7'' frame and 7'2'' wingspan that, combined with his speed and agility, stifles opposing players every night.

A player with his skill set is coveted in today's NBA, and it makes sense that the Knicks would want him. But because of how much the market for Anunoby has inflated his trade value, the Knicks couldn't get good value out of this deal, even with the additions of Precious Achiwua and Malachi Flynn to the trade.

Sure, Achiwua can provide much-needed depth at the center position, and Anunoby will likely slide into lineups much better than Barrett or Quickley as of now. However, the current benefits of the trade don't outweigh the loss of upside that dealing with two young players with so much untapped potential comes with.