The 2025-26 Toronto Raptors will be remembered for whether or not they were able to return the franchise to the playoffs for the first time in four years. While most eyes will be on how Brandon Ingram
looks as a Raptor, what Scottie Barnes adds to his bag in year five, and if RJ Barrett has a long-term role on the team, it could be Immanuel Quickley that ends up being the team’s x-factor.
2023-24 (38 games): 18.6 points, 6.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 turnovers, 42.2 FG%, 39.5 3P%
2024-25 (33 games): 17.1 points, 5.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.8 turnovers, 42.0 FG%, 37.8 3P%
After acquiring Quickley – along with Barrett – from the New York Knicks in a package including OG Anunoby, Raptors fans immediately cast lofty expectations on the Kentucky product to help justify the trade.
Quickley answered any doubts in just his second game with the team. He led all Raptors in scoring (26 points) while hitting five triples and adding five assists in a 116-111 win against the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan. 3.
It’s been some time since Quickley skipped his way into Toronto’s heart that night. After that initial stretch, his tenure has been marred by injuries and inconsistency.
Even after re-signing with the Raptors on a five-year deal worth $175 million, the 26-year-old knows his support has wavered,
“I always have a chip on my shoulder,” said Quickley. “I love when people doubt me and I look forward to it.”
Outside of forward Brandon Ingram, who is slated to become the Raptors’ focal point on offence, Quickley is arguably the most dynamic scorer on the team.
Whether it’s with a live dribble or finding gaps in the defence off-ball, Quickley has the skillset to attack all three levels of the defence.
One of the key takeaways from Raptors media day was Quickley’s self-awareness. Despite what he may ultimately be capable of, Quickley understands the team will deploy his versatility on offence, and that likely means a slight change in his opportunities.
“I think a lot of them will probably be more catch and shoot”, said Quickley.
His ability to hit the home run ball is a tremendous value to a team typically devoid of three-point shooting prowess. But Quickley’s perimeter shooting has always been most effective when he’s lurking away from the action.
In his two breakout seasons with the Knicks from 2022-2024, Quickley was assisted on 73 per cent of his made threes. That number dropped to 64.2 per cent when he first arrived in Toronto. To the coaching staff’s credit, Quickley hit a career-high 74.1 per cent last season, but on an unreliable and uneven 33-game sample size.
Subsequently, another storyline to follow is where Quickley ultimately finds his shots. In his five-year career, Quickley has been a significantly better non-corner three shooter, where he’s ranked comfortably in the top quartile.
He knows that better than anyone else too, with only 6 per cent of his field goal attempts coming from the corner three since being traded to the Raptors. Now that Ingram is likely to take on a considerable amount of the on-ball usage, it’ll be interesting to see where Quickly gets most of his catch-and-shoot opportunities, especially in pick-and-roll scenarios involving Jakob Poeltl or Scottie Barnes as the roller.
“I’ll have to bring that outside threat first for sure,” said Quickley. “Having gravity on offence…I can get other guys open.”
The aspect of Quickley’s game that has always made him an intriguing player is his floater. It definitely begins with his three-ball falling, but Quickley also attacked closeouts at an elite rate in his final season-and-a-half with the Knicks. During that period, Quickley shot 50.5 per cent between four and 14 feet, good for the top quartile in the league among guards. Quickley also ranked among the best guards in the league at finishing at the rim, averaging 67 per cent in 2022-23, his final full season in New York.
He has unfortunately struggled to find that same touch in Toronto, finishing in the bottom half for guards in both rim and short mid finishing. Last season’s numbers and issues mirror Quickley’s first two seasons with the Knicks. Another season of struggles in these areas of the court signals that his final campaign with the Knicks may have been an outlier.
Even with Quickley operating more as a catch-and-shoot threat, attacking the second and third levels of the defence has always been an integral element of his game. Since entering the league in 2020, nearly 30 per cent of Quickley’s shot diet has come between four and 14 feet, which ranks near the top of the league.
Everything will also hinge on whether or not the six-foot-three guard can remain healthy. Quickley suited up for only 33 games last season and hasn’t played in more than 70 games since 2022-23. His two most successful seasons were also his healthiest years in the league. For Quickley, the best ability will be his availability, especially while playing next to Ingram.
