Immanuel Quickley has been officially ruled out for the rest of Toronto’s first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has been dealing with a hamstring strain suffered in the final game of the regular season and has yet to appear in the playoffs.
His absence leaves head coach Darko Rajaković with a pressing question: who should fill Quickley’s spot in the starting lineup?
Toronto has tried both Jamal Shead and Ja'Kobe Walter as replacements, and despite Walter’s disastrous Game 3 debut, he is Toronto’s best option.
In the first two games of the series, Toronto started Shead with mixed results. In Game 1, he scored 17 points and knocked down a career-high five three-pointers. In Game 2, he had three points and three turnovers.
Game 3 brought a change, as Walter entered the starting lineup. The results were ugly. He scored zero points on 0-for-6 shooting. Despite that performance, Rajaković made the right decision to start Walter.
If Toronto wants to come back in this series, Walter should continue to get the nod.
Ja’Kobe Walter gives Toronto its best chance to win
Walter is one of the few players on this Raptors team who can be considered a reliable three-point shooter, and he is much more than just reliable. Walter shot 40.9 percent from three during the regular season and a scorching 47.6 percent from deep after the All-Star break.
Aside from his shooting, Walter is arguably Toronto’s most complete perimeter defender outside of Scottie Barnes. His combination of floor spacing and defense gives Toronto something no other potential option can replicate.
Jamison Battle and AJ Lawson are other quality options, but neither matches Walter’s two-way impact. Shead brings point-of-attack defense and energy, but Walter’s shooting gives him the edge.
Walter can bounce back from a brutal Game 3
There are fair explanations for Walter’s lackluster Game 3 performance. He was listed as questionable heading into the game due to illness, and it was also his first career playoff start.
We do not know the extent of the illness, but he has not appeared on the injury report ahead of Game 4, suggesting he is feeling better.
There is also reason to believe he will be more comfortable moving forward. First playoff starts can be overwhelming, especially for a sophomore. One rough outing should not outweigh the skills Walter brings to a lineup Toronto desperately needs to optimize.
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