Toronto Raptors point guard Immanuel Quickley has a contract that tends to overshadow what he does on the court. Some feel it was a fair deal, but others seem to think that the Raptors overpaid him at five years and $162.5 million.
Though Quickley has questions that he'll need to answer on his own, the return of superstar Kawhi Leonard should help simplify the process of quieting the contract concerns.
Quickley, 27, has spent the better part of the past three seasons with the Raptors. Injuries generally deprived him of his 2024-25 campaign, as he was limited to just 30 appearances, but he bounced back in 2025-26 and played in 70 games.
During that time, Quickley recorded averages of 16.4 points, 5.9 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 2.5 three-point field goals made per game on .443/.374/.821 shooting.
Despite the fact that Quickley was a rare source of spacing and tied for the team lead in assists per game, critics continue to fixate on his contract. He has three years and $97.5 million left on his deal, and after the Raptors handed an ill-advised contract extension to Jakob Poeltl, every other penny spent is suddenly even more important to count.
Thankfully, Quickley should have an easier time making his mark in a system with an elite No. 1 than he did when the Raptors lacked a true go-to scorer.
Kawhi Leonard should simplify the game for Immanuel Quickley
In 2025-26, Quickley was one of four Raptors players who averaged between 16.4 and 21.5 points per game. Brandon Ingram was the team leader in scoring with the latter figure, which helps to illustrate an issue that limited Quickley's off-ball success: No one on the roster commanded enough attention with the ball in their hands to truly simplify the game for others.
Leonard, meanwhile, is coming off of a season during which he averaged 27.9 points per game on .505/.387/.892 shooting and ranked in the 99th percentile in on-ball gravity, per Basketball Index.
Furthermore, Leonard buried 2.6 three-point field goals per game—a figure that would've ranked No. 1 on the Raptors. That alone should help Toronto run a more balanced offense after it ranked No. 21 in three-point field goal percentage and No. 28 in conversions in 2025-26.
Quickley should be a direct beneficiary of each of those realities, as he'll have more space to operate as a slasher, a better option along the three-point line as a passer, and a healthier supply off-ball opportunities as a scorer.
Kawhi Leonard has the gravity to transform Raptors' entire offense
Quickley is one of the most lethal catch-and-shoot players in the NBA, as evidenced by the fact that he buried 41.2 percent of his three-point attempts in said scenarios in 2025-26. That should make him a pivotal piece of the Leonard puzzle, as his ability to space the floor and convert open looks will be essential to optimizing spacing.
Defenses already respect Quickley, as he ranked in the 93rd percentile in off-ball gravity in 2025-26. The difference in 2026-27 is that he'll have an elite shot creator to support in that capacity.
Quickley is also quietly one of the best passers in the NBA. In 2025-26, he ranked in the 93rd percentile in passing creation volume and the 97th percentile in passing efficiency. He also placed in the 90th percentile in on-ball gravity and assist points per 75 possessions.
The lack of efficient three-point shooters around him limited Quickley's options, however, which makes a sharpshooter like Leonard a dream addition to place alongside him.
Quickley will still need to improve his efficiency as a scorer, as well as his on-ball defense. In saying that, he's a competitive off-ball defender and is capable of playing off of stars on offense. With a clear hierarchy now established with Leonard, Scottie Barnes, and RJ Barrett running the offense, Quickley should be able to play to his strengths and prove worth the money.
There will always be critics, but if Quickley plays as well with Leonard as he should be able to, the Raptors can at least proceed knowing that one of their big contracts isn't prohibitive.
Add us as a preferred source on Google