Getty Immanuel Quickley reacts as the New York Knicks hit their 20th three-pointer during a game against the Orlando Magic on October 22nd.
The New York Knicks might be big players in free agency, but they also have some young players on the roster that will be important to keep an eye on.
Barring a trade to land a superstar talent, it’s looking like the core of RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin will all be returning. Barrett took a big leap last season with his scoring, and the team is surely hoping a similar leap will be made again and that he’ll be joined by Toppin and Quickley.
While offseason workout videos aren’t always the best thing to go by, Quickley does look good in a viral run video. On June 13, Twitter account Swish Cultures uploaded a 31-second clip that shows Quickley playing, and he does look good.
Quickley Looks Ready to Go
Immanuel Quickley @IQ_GodSon super nice 😤 was a bucket the whole day and dropped some dimes in @taylorsportsgrp open run in Miami 🔥
A lot of players spend their offseasons rehabbing or vacationing, but there are also players who try to get into better shape and improve.
Judging by the clip, it’s looking like Quickley is trying to stay in midseason form. There’s a big season ahead of him for the Knicks as he’s expected to shoulder a bigger load.
Even if the Knicks land a big fish at point guard, the team will likely give him more of a look at the position just to avoid playing Alec Burks there. On the current roster, Quickley looks like the prime option to get a longer look there despite how fans feel about Miles McBride. Derrick Rose will also be returning, but he has settled into the role of Sixth Man, so Quickley’s path to starting is right there.
Coach Tom Thibodeau has shown a resistance to playing young players, but Quickley appears to won his favor, so he’s definitely the best option to look at.
Could Quickley Be the Future?
GettyNew York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley celebrates.
There’s been a lot of talk about landing a point guard this offseason, but what if the Knicks already have the future at the position on their roster?
It’s an unlikely prospect because Quickley has mostly played a combo guard role up to this point, but at just 22 years old, he can still add more ball-handling and playmaking abilities. In his second season, he did up his assists total to 3.5 per game, so he has that going for him.
RJ Barrett and Julius Randle both operate best with the ball in their hands, so maybe Quickley could man the point guard spot without having the ball in his hands at all times.
Unless he makes a giant leap this next year, the Knicks will likely still be looking for an answer to the position. Landing a name like Damian Lillard or Donovan Mitchell would certainly put all of the questions to bed, but that’s always going to be a big if.
The recent trade for Christian Wood now puts the Jalen Brunson dream in jeopardy as the Mavericks likely made that trade with the intention of bringing their guard back to go on another championship run.
The offseason hasn’t officially begun but the pool is already starting to dry up. The Knicks will be able to get somebody at the position, but it might not be the difference-maker that fans are hoping for.
It could end up being a blessing in disguise if the Knicks are able to give Quickley a longer look due to not landing a star.
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