RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley will return to the Garden on Saturday, less than three weeks since the Knicks shipped them to Toronto in the transformative OG Anunoby trade.
Though the Knicks are 8-2 since the swap, Barrett is averaging 20.2 points per game for his hometown team.
And Quickley finally has received an opportunity to start regularly with the Raptors, putting up 18.0 points and 5.2 assists per game in 10 appearances.
“I mean, it’s a win-win situation. Those guys are playing at a high level, and we’ve obviously been playing well of late,” Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson said after scoring 41 points in Thursday’s win over the Wizards. “Being teammates with those guys for less than two years … those guys meant a lot to me.
“They kind of welcomed me here and helped me introduce things to this team. We have a great relationship and those guys mean a lot to me. Obviously I hope they don’t play well on Saturday. But those guys are capable of doing big things.”
So clearly is Anunoby, who has perfectly complemented Brunson and Julius Randle on the first unit with an average of 15.0 points per game and an overall plus-minus of plus-170 through 10 games with the Knicks (25-17).
“It’ll be weird, but got to do it, got to figure it out,” Anunoby said of facing his former team, which also traded former All-Star Pascal Siakam on Wednesday to the Pacers. “Just go out there and try to win the game. See the staff, see the people, see my friends, old teammates.”
Like Brunson, Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein and guard Donte DiVincenzo also used the phrase “win-win” to describe the trade.
since getting traded from the Knicks. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Hartenstein also referred to Quickley as his “adopted son.”
“I feel Quick being able to start and RJ having a better role now, and what OG’s done for us, you couldn’t ask for more,” Hartenstein said. “Just having both sides in a win-win situation, I’m excited for them how they have been performing over there.
“I know those two, and it’s going to be personal for them. So we’re excited. We’re excited to have them back. They’re great people. Just having them back in the Garden is going to be something special. I know it’s going to be special for them, too.”
After sitting out last year’s lone visit because of an injury, Brunson similarly played his first game back in Dallas last week since signing with the Knicks as a free agent in the summer of 2022.
“Just from my experience, I still have a lot of friends in Dallas,” Brunson said. “We keep things cordial obviously when we’re not playing … but we create a lot of relationships in this league.
“You really get to see where people can go with their careers, but the relationships and the friendships, those stay the same are obviously off the court.”
The Knicks are DiVincenzo’s fourth team in six NBA seasons, including the Warriors last year, although they won’t play at Golden State until March 18.
He also was traded from Milwaukee to Sacramento in 2022.
“Super excited. I think the trade was a win-win and there’s not many that happen like that,” DiVincenzo said. “I’m excited for the Garden to give [Barrett and Quickley] a warm welcome, because it’s much deserved.
“I will say, being on the other side of it, they’re going to come in on Saturday with extra focus. Naturally, you come in with a chip on your shoulder, a point to prove. It’s natural and it’s a good thing to deal with. We just have to lock in on everybody.”
