In our 2024-25 New York Knicks statistical preview series, we’ll be breaking down key members of the roster from an analytical perspective, focusing on three specific categories for each player:
- How his role and outlook is affected by the Knicks’ roster turnover
- Strengths from the 2023-24 season he will aim to maintain
- Areas where he can improve off of the 2023-24 season
We begin with the Knicks’ defensive demon, OG Anunoby.
Effect of roster changes
More balance between positions/More time on perimeter
One of the best traits Anunoby displayed in his stint with the Knicks was his versatility. The 6-foot-7, 237-pound wing proved he could guard just about any position.
However, once Julius Randle went out, Anunoby almost exclusively played power forward for the Knicks. According to Basketball Reference, Anunoby played 97% of his minutes at the 4 in the playoffs.
With another switchy wing defender alongside him in Mikal Bridges, Anunoby will likely be used in a more versatile fashion this season than what we saw in his first half-season in New York. Tom Thibodeau will have the option to mix-and-match rotations and matchups as he so pleases, using Anunoby on the wing in some scenarios and as a big in others.
Fourth option instead of third
Anunoby had to step up as the Knicks’ third scoring option after Randle’s injury. In the playoffs, Anunoby ranked third on the team in FGA per game (12.3) and PPG (15.1).
With Towns stepping in for Randle and Bridges entering the fold as the clear-cut No. 3 option, Anunoby will slide down to the Knicks’ fourth scoring option when the entire lineup is healthy.
Anunoby projects as an outstanding complementary play finisher on a lower volume of FGA. He is an elite corner three-point shooter, making 45.7% of his attempts in 2023-24 and 42.2% for his career. He is also an excellent finisher around the basket, making 72.1% of his attempts from within three feet last season (70.1% career).
Taking a back seat and focusing primarily on cutting layups and catch-and-shoot corner threes, Anunoby projects to be a very efficient scorer for New York.
What he wants to maintain
Dominant defensive impact
Anunoby’s presence had a remarkable impact on the Knicks in 2023-24. They went 20-3 with him in the regular season and 6-2 in the playoffs (if you count out Game 7 against Indiana, when he barely played).
This impact was mainly because of his elite defense. Anunoby’s +3.1 defensive EPM (Estimated Plus-Minus) ranked sixth-best among NBA players and third-best among non-bigs behind Marcus Smart and Alex Caruso.
According to NBA.com, Anunoby held his matchups to a FG% 3.8 points below their usual average in the 2023-24 season. This ranked fifth-best among players under 6-foot-10 (min. 50 GP/min. 10 FGA defended per game), trailing only Draymond Green, Trey Murphy, Aaron Gordon, and Bam Adebayo. After the trade to New York, Anunoby ranked second-best in this category behind only Green.
Efficient shooting
Anunoby delivered when called upon offensively during his time as a Knick. In the regular season, Anunoby made 39.4% of his three-point attempts and 55.3% of his two-point attempts. He was similarly strong in the playoffs, shooting 41% from three and 55.6% from two.
What he’ll aim to improve
Free throw shooting
Anunoby is only a 74.5% career free throw shooter, but there have been signs of progress, suggesting he can still improve at 27 years old.
Over his first two NBA seasons, Anunoby shot just 60.5% from the stripe. He then set new career highs in three of his next four seasons: 70.6% in 2019-20, 78.4% in 2020-21, and 83.8% in 2022-23.
Anunoby fell back down to 75.3% in the 2023-24 season. In the playoffs, he made just 61.5% of his freebies. That continued a concerning career trend, as he is only a 67.6% free throw shooter in the playoffs.
The Knicks have plenty of room to improve their free throw shooting as a team. In the regular season, they ranked 16th with a 78% free throw percentage, and in the playoffs, they ranked 14th out of 16 teams at 75.7%.
Going from Randle (74.8% career) to Karl-Anthony Towns (83.9%) is New York’s likeliest path to improvement in this area. Anunoby returning to his upward trajectory is another potential source of improvement from the foul line.
Health
There probably is not much that Anunoby can do to control this one, but the biggest concern about his game continues to be his availability. Anunoby played only 50 games in 2023-24. He has not played 70 games in a season since his rookie year. The Knicks need Anunoby on the court for any of his unique traits to matter.
