Knicks ‘dangled’ Immanuel Quickley in trades for ‘prime-aged players’

The New York Knicks have some crucial decisions to make in the coming weeks, leading up to training camp and preseason. Alongside the search for a third star and awaiting the emergence of a promising deal, the Knicks face a decisive moment regarding Immanuel Quickley. Quickley is heading into a contract year with a $4.2 million salary for the upcoming season.

Knicks’ New Addition and Quickley’s Role

The Knicks recently added Donte DiVincenzo, formerly of the Golden State Warriors, on a four-year, $47 million deal. DiVincenzo is anticipated to play a significant role as a bench shooting guard. He might even surpass Quentin Grimes as a starter. Both players are expected to contribute significantly during the 2023–24 season. Nonetheless, Quickley’s value as a backup point guard and key sixth man off the bench remains unquestionable.

However, this hasn’t deterred the front office from potentially considering him as a trade asset. Fred Katz of The Athletic reports that the Knicks offered Quickley as trade bait in pursuit of prime-aged veterans earlier this summer.

Quickley’s Performance and Trade Prospects

Quickley is coming off a season where he narrowly missed out on the Sixth Man of the Year award. He achieved career-high averages of 14.9 points, 3.4 defensive rebounds, 4.2 total rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. His shooting records stood at .44 from the field and .370 from downtown. He served as one of the team’s best scorers, significantly offsetting the impact of Jalen Brunson’s off-court rests.

However, the Knicks remain uncertain about extending Quickley’s contract beyond the upcoming season, especially given his projected salary of over $20 million per season across four years. Other teams might see the value in acquiring him now, given his relatively low cost before a potential contract extension.

Quickley’s Future with the Knicks

The Knicks hold the option to retain Quickley for the upcoming season, leverage his skills as a key rotational piece, and then decide in free agency whether to maintain him on a more significant contract. It’s plausible that he could take a considerable step forward and excel during the postseason (provided the Knicks qualify), justifying a long-term deal.

However, should an enticing offer for a star player to pair with Brunson and Julius Randle land on Leon Rose’s desk, Quickley could be on the trading block as a primary piece in the deal.