Sources: Knicks’ OG Anunoby to resume hoops activities in 3 weeks

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby underwent surgery to remove a loose bone fragment in his right elbow on Thursday, and sources tell ESPN that he’s expected to resume basketball activities in three weeks.

Anunoby’s procedure was considered minor, and the belief is that he’ll be fully healed to play for the Knicks’ stretch run and playoffs, sources said. Anunoby has missed five straight games and will miss four more before the All-Star break that begins for the Knicks on Feb. 15.

The Knicks acquired Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors on Dec. 30 in a four-player trade and proceeded to win 12 of the next 14 games with him in the lineup. Anunoby has averaged 15.6 points and 4.6 rebounds with the Knicks. His positive plus-minus rating in his first 14 games with the Knicks is the most since play-by-play was first tracked in 1996-1997, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

His plus-252 mark is also tied with teammate Jalen Brunson for the second-best plus-minus in the NBA since Jan. 1 — trailing only the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell, per ESPN Stats & Information research.

Anunoby has shown himself to be perhaps the league’s best defender since arriving to the Knicks, holding opponents to 36.7% shooting as the closest defender, best in the league among players who defended 150-plus shots.

Anunoby, 26, has made 39% of his 3-point shots since joining the Knicks, including 19 corner 3-pointers.

Both Anunoby’s and  Julius Randle’s injuries played a factor in the Knicks’ deadline deals to acquire Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons, sources said. Randle has been out with a right shoulder injury.