Immanuel Quickley reaches the opener against Chicago healthy, coming off a season that was efficient without being loud. With Kawhi Leonard back, the question is less how much Quickley scores and more how much better he makes everyone around him.
The Guard in the Middle
Toronto went 46-36 last season with the fifth-ranked defense and only the 14th-ranked offense. That gap explains Quickley's job. Leonard averaged 27.9 points last season, Barrett 19.3 and Barnes 18.1, so the Raptors do not need another volume scorer. They need a guard who keeps the ball moving. Quickley matched Barnes for the team lead at 5.9 assists last season on a usage rate of only 20.6 percent, with Jamal Shead adding 5.4 assists behind him. Quickley is the one who connects the stars, and with Leonard drawing defenses, that job matters more than ever.
Clean, Not Loud
Over 70 games and 31.9 minutes a night last season, Quickley shot 44.3 percent from the field, 37.4 percent on 6.8 three-point attempts and 82.1 percent at the line. His true shooting was 57.7 percent. He turned it over 1.5 times a game against 5.9 assists and added 1.3 steals. The clearest number is the one that matches: his offensive rating of 115.0, defensive rating of 112.1 and net rating of 2.9 are exactly Toronto's team figures. Quickley was the Raptors' baseline. He did not hurt them, and he did not raise them.
Paid to Lift
He earns $32.5M this season and the same flat figure in 2027-28 and 2028-29. That is the roster's third-largest salary, behind Leonard at $50.3M and Barnes at $41.8M, on a $201.2M payroll that sits above the $200.4M tax line. At that price, being the baseline is not enough. He is not on the injury report. His only listing this month was the rest designation shared with most of the core on October 16, and he was cleared on October 17. Tonight's Bulls are without Nic Claxton, and Josh Giddey averaged 9.1 assists for them last season, a test of Quickley's defense at the point of attack. Here is the verdict: Quickley has to turn his shooting into the punishment for doubling Leonard. That means hitting the open three, pushing early offense before defenses set, and getting Toronto into its sets before the shot clock gets short. If he does that, a 14th-ranked offense can climb.
Is Immanuel Quickley playing in the Raptors' season opener against the Bulls?
He is not on the injury report heading into the October 21 opener against Chicago. His only listing this month was a rest designation on October 16, and he was cleared on October 17.
How much is Immanuel Quickley's contract with the Raptors?
He earns $32.5M in 2026-27 and the same amount in each of the next two seasons through 2028-29. That makes him Toronto's third-highest-paid player, behind Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes.
