The Toronto Raptors stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night, posting a 103-101 win over the top team in the West. With Immanuel Quickley emerging as the driving force for Toronto on the offensive end, the Raptors rallied behind the guard to secure the win.
Following the game, Immanuel Quickley made sure that naysayers knew that this performance wasn’t a one-off, emphasizing that his consistency even in light of the doubts surrounding his ability.
“I didn’t catch fire. I told you, I don’t ever do that up-and-down stuff,” Quickley stated. “When stuff is going good, everybody wants to be ‘uhhh’, when stuff going not so good, to other people’s eyes, then everybody wants to have a problem.”
“I’m somebody that stays even-keeled throughout the whole thing. “I’m going to keep continuing to work, keep continuing to watch the film, taking care of my body, and trusting God. That’s probably the biggest part.”
Quickley has certainly silenced many haters with his performance against the Thunder. While posting a team-high 23 points for the game, the guard also recorded 11 rebounds, two assists, and two steals while shooting 7-14 from the field and 6-10 from three-point range.
In the context of the Raptors’ five-game road trip, Immanuel Quickley’s production has been tantamount to success. Barring the first game, which resulted in a loss to the Lakers, Quickley has been productive in virtually every other outing, including a 40-point double-double in a dominant win over the Warriors.
In his last 10 appearances, Immanuel Quickley is averaging 20.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game while shooting 47.2% from the field and 37.3% from three-point range. Given that he is averaging 17.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game, the guard has certainly notched a meaningful increase in scoring.
Should The Raptors Trade Immanuel Quickley?
With Brandon Ingram‘s arrival and Scottie Barnes‘ growth, the Toronto Raptors have returned to becoming a competitive playoff-caliber team again. However, when considering the team’s potential to become a title contender, the franchise has noted that some minor adjustments could help.
On this note, the Raptors have shown an inclination to trade Immanuel Quickley, with reports suggesting that Jamal Shead may earn a larger role in the rotation in the near future.
Toronto is placed third in the Eastern Conference and only one game behind the Boston Celtics in second place.
With an opportunity to compete for homecourt advantage in the playoffs, the Raptors may see the merit in making the necessary roster upgrades. Among the many pressing issues they could tackle would be the need for a legitimate big man in the rotation to address Jakob Poeltl‘s indefinite absence due to injury.
To acquire a top-quality center, parting with Quickley may be inevitable. But even if Shead has upside, it may not be advisable for the Raptors’ front office to make any changes to the team’s current core. Instead, making trades to flip rotation pieces for a reliable second-string center may serve to strengthen the roster depth, giving Toronto an edge over the competition in the East.
