San Antonio Spurs news turned speculative around OG Anunoby, after Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes listed him as a potential trade target for the Spurs. The idea sits in the least likely bucket, but it still points to a salary-clearing path New York could explore if it wants to move off his contract.
New York Salary Pressure
James Dolan reportedly has no interest in paying the penalties that come with going into the second apron. That is why moving OG’s contract came up as a possible way for New York to get out of that range, with the discussion built around payroll rather than a direct basketball need.
The backdrop is a championship run that changed the tone around New York. After 53 years, Dolan delivered a championship to New York, and OG was described as a newly crowned Knicks champion. That makes any talk of moving him notable, even in a hypothetical framework.
Keldon Johnson’s Fit
The proposed return included Luke Kornet and Keldon Johnson, along with a couple of picks, to help New York shed salary. Johnson was the most practical player in that package, because the idea had him sliding into New York’s starting lineup and adding another scorer.
Johnson’s case rests on what he showed in 2022, when he was the lead man and averaged 20 points a night. That is the part of the proposal that gives New York a usable rotation piece while also giving the Spurs a player around whom a trade discussion could be built.
Spurs and Knicks Fit
The complication is that the trade itself was described as one of the least likely scenarios to happen. So the real story is not a deal that is ready to land, but a salary-driven outline that shows how New York could reduce pressure under the second apron while using OG’s value to rework the roster.
For now, the useful takeaway is simple: this is a framework, not a move. If New York decides to chase relief, the discussion would center on whether OG’s contract is the piece it is willing to move and whether the Spurs would treat Johnson and the picks as enough to make the math work.
