The Toronto Raptors have high expectations. Immanuel Quickley could be the most important player in their quest to make a deep playoff run. Here are three reasons why:
Explosive Three-point Shooter
Among the litany of reasons why the 2018-19 roster was perfectly crafted to optimize Leonard, none was arguably more important than the spacing he was provided on the offensive end. The Raptors finished with the sixth-best three-point percentage (36.6) and made the seventh-most three-pointers (1,015).
Leonard was surrounded by capable
shooters in Kyle Lowry (34.7 per cent), Danny Green (45.5 per cent), Pascal Siakam (36.9 per cent), and Marc Gasol (44.2 per cent). Norman Powell (40.0 per cent) and Fred VanVleet (37.8 per cent) were also blistering options off the bench.
Last season, Toronto finished 21st in three-point percentage. Quickley was undoubtedly the most prolific marksman in the starting lineup (37.4 percent) and the best volume shooter on the roster (2.5 threes made on 6.8 attempts).
With RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl expected to join Quickley and Leonard as projected starters, it’s paramount that Quickley becomes the elite knockdown shooter that he’s capable of being.
New Role, Better Fit
Quickley’s two full seasons in Toronto have differed in terms of on-ball responsibilities. During the 2024-25 season, the point guard nearly matched the career-high in usage he set in his rookie year with the New York Knicks. But last year with Brandon Ingram, the evolving Barnes, and the bulldozing Barrett, Quickley recorded a usage rate of 21.1, his lowest since 2022-23.
With Leonard incoming, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see his most recent usage remain the status quo. During two of his best seasons as a pro with the Knicks, Quickley was assisted on 73 per cent of his made threes. He’s always been an electric catch-and-shoot player with dangerous range.
Quickley has undoubtedly grown as a pick-and-roll threat, and that part of his game will still be relied on. Lowry and VanVleet were often asked to run off the offence in extended spurts during the championship run. But if Quickley can consistently make teams pay, it’ll go a long way in supporting Leonard.
The right side of the ball
While Pat Beverley was telling a story about Leonard on a podcast, he offered some insight into the champion’s mindset. In response to the coaching staff asking him to switch on defence for a specific sequence, Beverley recalled Leonard saying: “If he can’t guard, then why is he in the game?”
The 2019 roster was arguably one of the greatest defensive teams of all-time. While this year’s team has a few elite (yet growing) defensive minds, it also has a few question marks. During the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers relentlessly attempted to hunt Barrett on switches. Teams are expected to try that with Quickley. To his credit, Quickley has been solid on the defensive side, particularly with his effort level and fight through screens. If Quickley can hold his own on a nightly basis, it’ll be a huge win for Toronto.
