Immanuel Quickley is coming off a successful season for the Toronto Raptors. He averaged 16.4 points and 5.9 assists as the team’s third or fourth option. Aside from the final stretch of the season, he was also incredibly durable, playing in 67 of the team’s first 70 games.
If the Raptors ever made Quickley available, other teams would almost certainly take notice. The Houston Rockets could be an ideal trade partner for Toronto’s starting point guard.
Should the Raptors trade Immanuel Quickley?
The idea of trading Quickley comes with a mixed bag of emotions for Raptors fans. He averaged 6.8 three-point attempts per game during the season, by far the most on the team. He was also one of Toronto’s most consistent sources of half-court offense. On a Raptors team that is sorely lacking three-point shooting and offensive creation, losing Quickley would hurt.
However, the playoffs complicated that conversation. The Raptors pushed Cleveland to the brink of elimination, and Scottie Barnes stepped up and proved that he can be a superstar-level player for this team. Toronto was able to do all of that without Quickley, who watched from the sidelines with an injury.
Immanuel Quickley was a critical part of this team’s regular-season success, but seeing Toronto shine in the postseason without him makes it fair to wonder whether the three years and nearly $100 million remaining on his contract could be better allocated elsewhere.
That is where the Houston Rockets comes in.
Houston is a clear fit for Quickley
Houston, like Toronto, needs more shooting and offensive creation. It is easy to understand why the Rockets would be interested in Quickley.
If the Rockets would be willing to base a package around Reed Sheppard, that would be ideal for Toronto. Sheppard was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. He has shown defensive limitations that have raised serious questions about his ability to become a high-level player, but he was an elite shooter last season and still has plenty of time to overcome those defensive concerns.
If Houston is not willing to include Sheppard, that would be understandable. Another package Toronto should heavily consider could be based around Fred VanVleet. The former Raptors icon has a one-year, $25 million player option remaining on his contract.
If VanVleet would be willing to opt into the final year of his deal, Toronto would get a veteran presence and reliable shooter in exchange for Quickley. The most alluring part of that deal would be the financial flexibility. Moving Quickley for VanVleet would allow Toronto to clear long-term salary and create more room to upgrade the roster next offseason.
Ultimately, Toronto does not have to trade Quickley. He is coming off a strong season and directly addresses several of the Raptors’ primary weaknesses. That being said, if Houston were to make an offer that gave the Raptors a quality young player or a real chance to significantly reduce their future cap hits, Toronto would have to listen closely.
