(Photo by Seth Wenig – Pool/Getty Images)
Immanuel Quickley was the New York Knicks‘ offensive catalyst off the bench last season.
While Jalen Brunson was obviously their most important player last year, Quickley is their bona fide bucket-getter and a guy who could fetch a big payday somewhere else.
So, now that he’s failed to reach a contract extension, Knicks insider Ian Begley believes he’s not going to be a part of the team for opening night next season (via Knicks Videos).
“If I’m making a bet today, my bet would be that Immanuel Quickley is elsewhere at the start of next season. Maybe that’s the pessimist in me.” – @IanBegley on IQ
Ian, @alanhahn, and @CPTheFanchise discuss on The Putback with Ian Begley: https://t.co/OvD7FxP6ba pic.twitter.com/UKtJvvwxeQ
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 24, 2023
He did say that maybe it was just the pessimist in him, but he doesn’t think the sides will be able to work something out, judging by how things have gone down thus far.
Quickley finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season.
There was plenty of optimism on both sides of reaching an agreement on an extension before the deadline, but that wasn’t the case, and he could now be playing for his money.
The Knicks have gotten better over the past couple of years, so they cannot afford to deal him away unless they make sure to get some decent value in return.
He’s going to play with a huge chip on his shoulder to prove that he’s one of the best scoring combo guards in the league and needs to be paid as such.
Quickley could fetch north of $20 million per season in his new contract, and the Knicks might not be willing to meet that asking price as they look to pursue bigger names in free agency or via trade.
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