Zach Lowe compares OG Anunoby's trade value to Donovan Mitchell: "The price and picks are going to surprise people"

Since entering the league in 2017, OG Anunoby has been a great developmental story for the Toronto Raptors. Now in his sixth season, the young forward is putting up All-Star level numbers.

While OG Anunoby continues to trend in the right direction, the same cannot be said for his team. The Raptors are 13-18 on the year and 2-8 in their last ten games. Amid their recent struggles, many are picking them as a team to watch as the trade deadline gets closer.

If the Raptors do decide to blow it up, Anunoby will be a highly-coveted player around the league. So far this season, he is averaging 18.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game. On top of that, he's been an early favorite in Defensive Player of the Year discussions.

During a recent episode of "The Lowe Post," ESPN's Zach Lowe opened up on Anunoby possibly getting traded. He feels the Raptors could get a similar return for him that the Utah Jazz got for Donovan Mitchell this past offseason.

“The entire league wants OG Anunoby. Everybody wants OG Anunoby. If he ever gets traded, the price and picks are going to surprise people because it might be on par almost with what the Cavs gave up for Donovan Mitchell”

For reference, the Jazz received three players, three first-round picks, and two pick swaps in exchange for Mitchell.

Is Zach Lowe right about OG Anunoby garnering a Donovan Mitchell-type return?

The Toronto Raptors can definitely get a sizeable return for OG Anunoby, but Zach Lowe might have taken things a bit too far. At the time, Donovan Mitchell was a superstar-level player who was signed long term. Anunoby is a well above-average player, but he is not in the same tier as Mitchell.

One thing that would make Anunoby so valuable in the trade market is his contract. He is signed through the 2024-25 season, and his salary never goes over $20 million. Teams will be lining up quickly to get their hands on a two-way forward at that low of a price point.

If Toronto does decide to go in a different direction, he will surely be the first player teams ask about when they call. His skill set is exactly what teams are looking for in a forward position in the modern NBA.

Lowe appears to be extremely high on the 25-year-old, and rightfully so. However, it seems unlikely that a team would put together a Mitchell-like return package to acquire him if he does become available in the coming weeks.