OG Anunoby is the hottest name on the NBA trade market leading into the February 9 deadline next Thursday. Why? Anunoby is exactly the type of player every contender dreams of having– a big, strong, physical wing who can defend at an elite level and shoot the ball well. Anunoby's defense on the perimeter is elite and he's shooting 36 percent from deep on 5.2 attempts per game. He can't do much else, admittedly, given his extremely pedestrian rebounding and assist numbers but that doesn't matter. He is a prototypical three-and-D player who is only 25 years-old. That is the most valuable non-superstar asset in the NBA.

Why would the Toronto Raptors want to trade him, then? It's fairly simple– the team is not contending for a championship as is and currently sit at 23-29, good for 12th in the Eastern Conference. Anunoby is not good enough to turn their season around but can fetch a much higher return than any other of the roster's difference-makers due to his age and the fact that he's under contract for a reasonable price over the next year and a half (with a player option for 2024-25).

He will not come cheap, though. The Raptors hold all the cards and will squeeze any potential trade partner for every asset they've got. A team convinced they have a shot this year may just be desperate enough to give up what Toronto wants– which would be at least two unprotected first-round picks and probably including a young player on top of that.

Here are three realistic trade destinations for Anunoby as the deadline approaches.

Phoenix Suns

The Suns have a three-and-D forward of their own that they've been trying to ditch the whole season, which makes them a natural trade partner. To be clear, Jae Crowder is a much worse player than Anunoby, but his $10 million contract is quite helpful in matching salary. Since the Suns' picks do not project to fall very high already and will be even lower with Anunoby, the Raptors will want quantity. Crowder and three first-round picks would probably be the starting point for the discussion.