RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley will return to the Garden on Saturday, less than three weeks after the Knicks sent them to Toronto in the game-changing trade for OG Anunoby.
The Knicks are 8-2 since the exchange, but Barrett is averaging 20.2 points per game with his hometown team.
Quickley finally got a chance to start regularly for the Raptors, appearing in 10 games and posting 18.0 points and 5.2 assists per game.
“So it's a win-win situation,” Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson said after scoring 41 points in Thursday's win over the Wizards. “I've been teammates with these guys for two years. It wasn't enough… They meant a lot to me.
“They welcomed me here and helped me introduce things to this team. We have a great relationship and they mean a lot to me. Of course, on Saturday I hope they don't play too well. But they have the ability to do big things.”
It's clear that Anunoby is the perfect complement to Brunson and Julius Randle in the first unit, averaging 15.1 points per game and plus-170 points overall through 10 games with the Knicks (25-17).
“It's weird, but we have to do it and we have to figure it out,” Anunoby said of facing his former team, which traded former All-Star Pascal Siakam to the Pacers on Wednesday. “Just go out there and try to win the game. Look at the staff, look at the people, look at your friends, look at your old teammates.”
Like Brunson, Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein and guard Donte DiVincenzo described the trade as a “win-win.”
Since being traded by the Knicks. USA TODAY Sports (via Reuters Con)
Mr. Hartenstein also referred to Mr. Quickley as his “adopted child.”
“I feel like Quick is starting and RJ is able to play a better role. I couldn't ask for more of what OG has done for us,” Hartenstein said. . “I’m excited about their performance over there because it’s a win-win situation for both sides.
“I know those two guys and it's going to be personal for them. So we're excited. I'm really looking forward to having them back. They're great people. It's going to be something special just to have them back in the garden. I know it's going to be special for them too.”
After missing his only visit last year due to injury, Brunson similarly returned to Dallas last week and played his first game since signing with the Knicks as a free agent in the summer of 2022.
“From my experience, I still have a lot of friends in Dallas,” Branson said. “Obviously we’re friendly when we’re not playing, but we build a lot of relationships in this league.
“You really get to see where people can go with their careers, but the relationships and friendships remain the same, obviously off the court.”
The Knicks will be DiVincenzo's fourth team in six NBA seasons, including last year's Warriors, but they don't play Golden State until March 18.
In 2022, he was traded from Milwaukee to Sacramento.
“I'm very excited. I think this trade was a win-win, and things like that don't happen often,” DiVincenzo said. “I’m excited about what the Garden has to offer.” [Barrett and Quickley] A warm welcome, because that's what you deserve.
“On the flip side, they're going to come into Saturday with extra focus. Naturally, you come in with a chip on your shoulder and you have to prove it. It's a thing and it's a good thing to deal with. We have to lock everyone up.”
