3 Untouchable Toronto Raptors players in trade talks

No. 2: Immanuel Quickley

When the Toronto Raptors made the decision to move on from OG Anunoby, they likely received a number of trade offers, many of them focused around a haul of draft picks. Whether Masai Ujiri didn't want to fully tear the roster down or he saw more value in proven young players, he went a different route, targeting Immanuel Quickley as the centerpiece of the return package.

That already signals how much the Raptors value Quickley, but more reinforcement was added on when they gave the young point guard a five-year, $162.5 million deal that could increase to $175 million if he hits certain incentives. That's a massive financial commitment to a player with only 65 career starts to his name.

Toronto clearly sees Quickley as their point guard of the future, and what's more, as a player with legitimate upside to develop into an All-Star playing alongside Scottie Barnes. To truly contend the Raptors need a co-star for Barnes, and the most reliable path to add such a player would have been in the draft.

Instead, the Raptors traded for Quickley and handed him a massive contract, essentially making the team too good to outright tank. Eliminating their best path to a bona fide second star only makes sense if you believe in the players already on the roster. For good or for ill, the Raptors are committed to seeing if Quickley can become that star. That means there is no chance he is traded.