RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley Facing Harsh Comparisons During NBA Offseason

The Toronto Raptors have finally become relevant again in the NBA after seemingly falling off the map since capturing their first and only championship in 2019. They advanced to the second round in the Bubble the following season, but proceeded to miss the playoffs in four of the next five years.

Back in May, they were unable to advance past the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. But, going to seven games with a team that finished as one of the last four teams should not be something to slouch at, especially given that three of Toronto’s five starters weren’t healthy. 

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Now sitting with a deal in place to reacquire 2019 Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, it’s go-time. After growing optimism that the seven-time All-Star will eventually be announced as a Raptor, it’s on general manager Bobby Webster to finalize the roster around him and franchise cornerstone Scottie Barnes. 

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) and Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

With this expectation in effect, the remaining three starters are rightfully being put under a microscope. Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl, and RJ Barrett are all considered expendable at this point, but they shouldn’t be thrown into the trading block carelessly. They all experienced different ups and downs throughout last season, but they also proved that the best versions of themselves are good enough to contribute at a high level to a championship contender.

Naturally, fans are going to gravitate towards their favorite players as names pop up in different mock trades or rumors. Quickley and Barrett are both players who may be able to thrive with a bigger role on a different team, but which is ready to make a bigger impact for Toronto next season?

Toronto Raptors guard/forward RJ Barrett (9) and guard Immanuel Quickley (5) | Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

It’s important to be clear about one thing: neither of these players should be traded unless a clear upgrade is available. Assuming good health, both players are established, quality role players who can even look like stars from time to time. Unless a bona fide star is available in return, these two should be in Toronto for the foreseeable future. 

There are several points of argument for both players as to why they should remain over the other. At the end of the day, there likely won’t be a situation where it is a decision of which player to trade, but rather one where Webster is deciding if he wants to trade for a point guard or shooting guard. However, it’s worth doing an examination of the two’s recent levels of play.

Who Has Performed Better?

In professional sports, oftentimes teams are thinking, “What has this player done for me lately?” When extending Quickley to a five-year, $175 million contract, the Raptors hoped that the then-25-year-old could blossom into an All-Star-level player. Since then, his averages have practically all dropped or stayed similar to his first 38 games with the team in 2024. 

Last season, he averaged his lowest points per game (16.4) since 2023; he also dropped in assists by 0.9 (5.9), rebounds by 0.8 (4.0), three-point percentage by 2.1% (37.4%), and free-throw percentage by 2% (82.1%). While he did play 70/82 games in the regular season, he missed all seven playoff games, which unfortunately doesn’t help his case. 

Luckily for Quickley, Barrett has experienced a very similar dip. Since his 32 games in 2024, Barrett has dropped in points per game by 2.5 (19.3), rebounds by 1.1 (5.3), assists by 0.8 (3.3), field goal percentage by 6.2% (49.1), and three-point percentage by 5.4% (33.9). Where he saved himself was in the playoffs; while Quickley and Brandon Ingram were either hurt or unavailable, he averaged 24.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Also, it will be hard for Webster to forget about his game-winning three-pointer in Game 6 to extend the series. 

Toronto Raptors guard/forward RJ Barrett (9) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley (4) | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Another significant factor in trading the two is their contracts. Quickley will receive $32.5 million per year for three more seasons, while Barrett is set to earn roughly $29.6 million this season before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer. The former No. 3 pick in the 2019 NBA draft also publicly admitted his desire to remain a Raptor for the rest of his career, insinuating the possibility of taking a pay cut for the betterment of the team.

Quickley showed his ability to be a star in moments like his 40-point, 10-assist game on 110% true shooting percentage. However, on a team with Leonard and Barnes, it’s essential to have consistent role players who can contribute on a nightly basis when the stars need them to. When factoring in the averages and the contracts, Barrett has proven that he deserves to stay if one of them needs to be moved. 

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