It's no secret that the Toronto Raptors have endured a tumultuous season this year, marked by the absence of a crucial piece of their core, Immanuel Quickley, who has been limited to just 24 appearances so far due to missed time from injury.
There's no doubt in my mind that Toronto had big plans to integrate Quickley as a long-term piece moving forward in the Raptors' direction, especially since they paid him a significant extension in the offseason, securing him with a five-year, $175 million contract. I had been worried recently, given Quickley's struggle to stay healthy and live up to his lofty salary.
But if his recent stretch of performances says anything, it's that this version of the Toronto Raptors could have been a dark horse contender in the severely diminished Eastern Conference playoff hunt, had Quickley not missed 39 games.
A healthy Immanuel Quickley could've turned the Raptors' season around
It might be a mixed bag of results for the Raptors during that period, as they went 4-6 in their last 10 games. However, Quickley has definitely stood out as a highlight with his uptick in production and effectiveness, returning to the top form he showcased in spurts last year.
In Quickley's last 10-game sample size, he's averaging the following, according to the NBA Stats & Analytics site databallr.com: 20.8 points, 5.0 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and a 60% true shooting percentage, in 31.5 minutes per game.
In fact, Quickley recently achieved his highest-scoring game with the Raptors this season, torching the Utah Jazz on March 7 with a 34-point outing (knocking down 6 of his 13 three-pointers), along with five rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
Now, one could argue that many Raptors fans face a tough choice: would they prefer to compete for a playoff spot or continue losing games to improve their chances of landing one of the highly touted prospects in the 2025 draft class?
However, no matter how lackluster this version of the Raptors may appear at times, I know for certain that they are far from being the worst of the worst. They have the ability to challenge any team in the league on any given night, even if their recent wins are against a weakened Orlando Magic and the lamentably deficient Utah Jazz.
Just think about it: Scottie Barnes has been a bright spot with his dynamic skill set, RJ Barrett has proven to be the team's most consistent offensive player all year, and when they traded for Brandon Ingram at the deadline, perhaps the Raptors could have pushed for a faster rehabilitation track for his recovery to boost their playoff chances.
And when you add Quickley’s sharpshooting—when he’s locked in—to his growing ability to playmake at a true NBA point guard level, he really provides that much-needed boost to help raise the Raptors' ceiling. There might be allure surrounding the prospects of using Quickley to secure a star upgrade, perhaps in the offseason, but I am still holding out hope for his development as a helpful combo guard who complements the Raptors' future.
Is Quickley getting paid a fair bit to keep him around in the city? Most definitely. As NBA commentator and former ESPN radio host Ryen Russillo recently suggested on an episode of his podcast, "You like him until you have to pay him."
But then again, we’re talking about Toronto here. When you have a quality talent on your hands, your options are somewhat limited when it comes to offering a deal to keep them around; it might have to be an overpay to satisfy their needs.
While 2024-25 may not have been the Raptors' year to celebrate, there's hope that, with continued growth and development from Immanuel Quickley throughout his contract, Toronto can once again find itself enjoying postseason success.