A proposed Raptors-Kyrie Irving deal is the kind of move that looks flashy on paper and messy everywhere else.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley floated a trade that would send Immanuel Quickley, Ja’Kobe Walter and a 2028 first-round pick with top-5 protection to Irving. It’s easy to see why that kind of idea gets attention, especially with Irving coming off a torn ACL. But Toronto has bigger reasons to stay put than to chase a headline.
The Raptors already have guard depth they’d be giving away, and first-round draft capital is not something to toss into a deal lightly. More important, upgrading at point guard should not be the first priority here. Quickley is still a player who can swing this team’s offense, and the roster around him may be built to help him do exactly that.
He is not the kind of traditional floor general Raptors fans got used to with Kyle Lowry, and that does not have to be a problem. Quickley’s value shows up in different ways.
He can play off the ball, stretch the floor and help push the pace. That kind of skill set fits a lineup that is changing around him.
The newest addition changes the equation, too. Kawhi Leonard, as the source piece puts it, “makes everybody around him better.”
The difference between Leonard and Brandon Ingram is not just about defense. Ingram can work his way into an offensive set and create from the mid-range with hesitation dribbles, but Leonard brings something else entirely.
He is a three-level scorer who can pull double-team attention from anywhere on the floor.
That matters for Quickley. If Leonard is drawing that kind of pressure, Quickley should get cleaner looks in off-ball actions.
He does not need to be the one running everything. He can space the floor, attack open lanes, use his floater or move the ball along for easier scoring chances.
The numbers back up the role he already plays. According to Cleaning the Glass, Quickley ranked in the 40th percentile among point guards with an assist percentage of 26.9%.
That puts him in the same neighborhood as Jamal Murray, De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Maxey. At the same time, he sits in the 95th percentile in turnover percentage at 8.7 per cent, which is a strong sign that Toronto can trust him with the ball even if he is not the primary organizer.
What Toronto really needs from him is steadiness and shot-making. Quickley averaged 16.4 points per game last season, and that kind of production is a solid base.
The bigger jump would come from efficiency, especially from deep. He shot 37.4 per cent from three last season, which is good.
If he can push that closer to 40%, it would go a long way for a Raptors offense trying to climb out of the middle of the pack.
In Other News...
Jakob Poeltl Just Gave Raptors Fans A Reason To Reconsider The Frontcourt
Jakob Poeltls preseason run against the Clippers gave the Raptors something they can always use a little more of up front: signs of life. In Torontos 114-106 win, Poeltl was active for more than 21 minutes and looked sharper than he had in previous outings, with better movement and effort showing up throughout the night as the team tried to sort out its frontcourt rotation.
The bigger takeaway may be what this kind of performance could mean for the rest of the roster. Torontos coaching staff seems open to exploring how Poeltl fits alongside Collin Murray-Boyles this season, rather than treating the two as a strict either-or choice, and that makes Poeltls return to form more than just a preseason footnote. If he can sustain this level, it could give the Raptors a more functional and flexible look inside. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Just Added A Giant With A Real Shot To Stick
Toronto is taking a fresh look at Jamarion Sharp, the free agent center set to join the Raptors and compete for a two-way contract. The move adds another big body to a preseason group that is already at 21 players, so the front office will have to clear a spot before Sharp can officially settle in with the club.
Sharps path has been a winding one, even by the standards of a player chasing an NBA foothold. He previously landed a two-way deal with the Clippers before getting waived, then spent most of his time in the G League, where his defensive work earned notice and kept him on the radar of teams looking for size and rim protection. [Read more 🡒]
RJ Barretts Early Raptors Role Could Create A Real Offensive Problem
With Kawhi Leonard sidelined for Torontos first two preseason games, RJ Barrett has been asked to do a lot more of the organizing and creation than he likely will once the games count. The expanded on-ball responsibilities mirror the version of Barrett the Raptors leaned on in the playoffs, where he was more than just a finisher and had to help drive the offense. It has given Toronto a useful look at how Barrett handles added control, but it also highlights how different this group can look when the roster is whole.
Barretts current role is built around a heavy share of the action, and that can be a tricky thing to unwind when Leonard returns and reclaims the top offensive spot. If Barrett has gotten used to initiating so much of what Toronto does, the adjustment back to a more complementary role could take some time and affect early-season rhythm. The Raptors need Barrett to stay productive, but they also need the offense to settle into a pecking order that works once the lineup is at full strength. [Read more 🡒]