Near 20-Point Per Game Point Guard Re-Signs with the Raptors
Back on December 30th, the New York Knicks agreed to trade Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and a 2024 second-round pick to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn. This was definitely a surprising move at the time, as the near 20-point per game point guard was a key piece to the Knicks offense, and the main scorer coming off the bench. Toronto went on to finish 12th in the Eastern Conference standings with a 25-57 record. This Raptors team has a lot of great young talent, and this franchise is ready to take the next step with their promising roster and take a leap at the playoffs, or at least the Play-In Tournament. Quickley became a free agent at the end of the season, and today he decided to lean in the direction of resigning with the Raptors and signed a five-year for 175 million dollar deal.
The near 20-point per-game point guard was selected with the 25th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was later traded to the New York Knicks two days later. Over his first few years in the league, Quickley started to really get into his own form and developed as a solid shooter. During the 2022-2023 season with the Knicks, he recorded a new career-high in points twice, first dropping 38, then putting up 40 in a 137-115 win over the Houston Rockets. There was no doubt at this point, that Quickley could fulfill a role as a starter or as the team’s sixth man, as by the end of the season, he finished second in the Sixth Man of the Year Award voting.
Last season, Quickley played in 68 games with both the Knicks, and the Raptors. He averaged about 17 points, four rebounds, five assists, and a steal in 29 minutes a game. The near 20-point-per-game point guard averaged about 19 points a game in his final season with the Knicks. Now back with the Raptors, can Quickley develop his game even further and try to make an all-star appearance? It’s definitely going to be interesting if the young 25-year-old point guard will sustain the same success he’s had since arriving in New York.
