The idea is that Fred VanVleet, who was teammates with OG Anunoby for six seasons including the 2018-19 NBA title with the Raptors, was traded by the Knicks to get an ideal fit for the roster and coach Tom Thibodeau. fully understand and accept it.
“I thought it was absolutely perfect. It was a great trade for them,” VanVleet told the Post during the Rockets' morning shootaround ahead of Wednesday's game at the Garden. “OG can space the floor and is an elite defender. And we probably won't even know his true value until the playoffs, when we have a lot of different matchups. He can defend pretty much anyone.
“Thisbus is definitely going to love him. But more than that, compared to the Villanova players we have here, I think he just fits that mold and is a similar type of personality and player. I think he's a great fit for this team and you could see that right away from the way he was able to contribute and be successful right away. I have no doubt New York will love him.”
In fact, the 26-year-old Anunoby has really hit the ground running with the Knicks. The team entered Wednesday's game with a 6-2 record since his addition last month, but had dropped two of its previous three games after starting 5-0 with him in the lineup.
The two-way wing averaged 14.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in his first eight games with the Knicks, shooting 50.6 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from 3-point range.
He also posted a plus-134 rating during the period, giving him a plus-16.8 average. However, the plus-2 rating in Monday's loss to the Magic was the lowest since the late December deal that sent RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to the Raptors. .
“OG is a plug-and-play player, and a player like him can play for any team in the NBA with his skill set,'' he said, before signing a three-year contract worth $128.5 million with the Rockets as a free agent. VanVleet said. summer. “I think as he spends more time here and he gets more used to everything and what their style of play is going to be, he's going to be a great guy to add to your team.
“He would be perfect alongside Jalen.” [Brunson] and julius [Randle] And those guys serve as great complementary pieces.
“He gave us a lot of great moments. [in Toronto]. He's such a luxury to have on your team. ”
VanVleet, 29, a 2022 All-Star, added that he and Anunoby “got close” in Toronto, but laughed, noting that the former teammate “obviously has a different personality.”
He also believes Anunoby was driven by the Raptors' loss to a title in 2019 after undergoing an emergency appendectomy in April of that year.
“Even though he missed a lot that year, he wasn't able to really make that run because he wasn't necessarily a big part of it on the court at the end.” VanVleet said. “He always has a hungry spirit and really wants to become a better player and earn all the accolades that great players have. He works hard every day and that's what I really admire about him. That's one of the things we do.”
VanVleet said he has also been closely following the career of Brunson, who is three years younger, since they are both from the Chicago area.
“That's the same Jalen Brunson I saw when I was 15, 16 years old at Stevenson High School. But now he's doing it on the biggest stage,” VanVleet said. “I can see he's getting comfortable here, he's got a father [Rick] Here [as an assistant coach]We have built a great relationship with. [Knicks president] Leon [Rose].
“He, along with Shibs, is really thinking about how to get it done. This is the same kid I saw playing in the Illinois area. I met him at Chris Paul's camp in college. Ta [at Wichita State] And he was in high school. Obviously, I've followed his career from that point to Villanova. …But the fact that he's doing this on the big stage, he's a true scorer in this league. ”
VanVleet entered Wednesday's game averaging 17.1 points and a career-high 8.5 assists in the first half of the season for the Rockets, who started the season at 19-20 after finishing the 2022-23 season with a 22-60 record. Recorded.
“It's a lot of fun and I love it. I take pride in my day-to-day life and strive to improve and get the best out of them,” VanVleet said. “There is a lot of joy in building, learning and growing with a young team and I am happy there.
“It was tough, but it was fun.”
