3 reasons Raptors letting Fred VanVleet walk was still the correct move
By Mike Luciano
2. Immanuel Quickley can be unleashed
Would the OG Anunoby trade go down in the same fashion if VanVleet was on the team? While RJ Barrett has been an incredibly impressive player for the Raptors while securing himself a spot in the team's long-term plans, the main purpose of the deal was to nab a point guard of the future in Quickley.
The former Kentucky star has been everything Toronto could have expected early in his Raptors career, as the offensive dynamism and shooting that often went underappreciated by Tom Thibodeau in New York has flourished in Toronto. Imagine him taking a back seat behind VanVleet.
The Toronto Raptors parted with Fred VanVleet to let Immanuel Quickley shine.
Quickley is a restricted free agent, but the move was likely made with the intention that whatever contract he would be offered would end up being matched. Even if Quickley strikes gold in the offseason, he will get nowhere near what VanVleet is currently pulling on a yearly basis.
VanVleet is a known quantity, and what he brings to the table can be quite effective. However, the potential of what Quickley can do at full power in the next few years was (rightly) viewed as greater than FVV's skills. Toronto may end up better off at point guard while saving some money.