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Raptors' O.G. Anunoby garnering interest from 'entire league'

The forward is averaging career-highs in points, steals and rebounds as his pedigree continues to increase around the NBA.

chelsea leite
Contributing Writer
·2 min read
ESPN's Zach Lowe is reporting that O.G. Anunoby could fetch a surprisingly sizeable return if the Toronto Raptors were to trade the 25-year-old forward. (Getty Images)
ESPN's Zach Lowe is reporting that O.G. Anunoby could fetch a surprisingly sizeable return if the Toronto Raptors were to trade the 25-year-old forward. (Getty Images)

As the Raptors season continues to go off-track, the trade scenarios continue to roll in.

One player at the centre of most of these scenarios? O.G. Anunoby, the 6-foot-7 forward the Raptors drafted 23rd overall in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Passed off in years prior as a 3-and-D wing, Anunoby has flourished this year – another example of the Toronto Raptors’ development system at work. As the Raptors hopes continue to decline, and the losing streak extends (currently at six losses in a row), the trade scenarios are coming in hot.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his podcast on Tuesday that “the entire league wants O.G. Anunoby,” adding that the trade package that could go for him may be surprising.

"If he gets traded, the price and picks are going to surprise people because it might be on par almost with what the Cavs gave up for Donovan Mitchell."

Raptors fans surely know how much O.G. Anunoby means to their team. He leads the NBA in steals (2.4 per game) and at just 25 years old, he is averaging 18.7 points per game – a significant jump from his career average of 11.1 points per game.

His two best games of the season came against Miami and Orlando, where he scored 32 points in each contest. In the Raptors win against the Atlanta Hawks, Anunoby collected six steals. His strength is nearly unmatched for his position in the NBA and he is the ideal example of the kind of players the Raptors wanted to fill their team with.

Anunoby is the guy regularly tasked with guarding the opposing team’s superstar. This season, he has held Kevin Durant to 2-for-6 field goals, Donovan Mitchell to 2-for-7 field goals, and Jimmy Butler to just one field goal, among others. His size, mixed with his speed and agility, make him tough to get past, even for the most skilled players in the league.

Anunoby seems to be one of the only things working for the Toronto Raptors – so do they keep him and build around him, or do they deal him out and see what they can get back? No matter the outcome, Anunoby is positioning himself to be a vital player in this league for years to come.

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