Immanuel Quickley has been playing well as of late but still hasn’t found his way into the starting lineup consistently. Can he potentially get a shot to prove himself at the starting role next season?
Give Him a Shot
Recently Coach Thibodeau talked about Immanuel Quickley in regards to him starting for the Knicks. In summary, Thibs explained how starting Quickley might not be what’s best for the team at the time. He went on to say the current starting lineup is “ the best group they have ”. Over the past two seasons, Quickley has been a hot and cold type of player for the Knicks. He’s averaged 11.1 PPG, 2.6 APG, and 2.6 RPG during his first two seasons and has proved to be a promising young guard.
Even with all of the turmoil this season, Quickley has only started two games as Thibodeau has continued to stick with Alec Burks as the starting point guard since Kemba Walker’s departure from the team. Everyone knows that Thibs is not the type of coach to switch things around. He is more likely to ride with his group of starters until the wheels fall off but that might change in the future.
Quickley Has Been a Key
Now, it’s obvious that Quickley is a key part to the Knicks future and he has been playing well since his minutes increased. Over the last 10 games, Quickley has averaged 15.8 PPG, 4.5 APG, and 4.2 RPG while shooting 44.1% from the field. With all the uncertainties going into the offseason, it wouldn’t hurt if the Knicks looked at Quickley as a potential starter. To be clear, I’m not ruling out that the Knicks should find a way to sign a guard. But, with the state that the team’s in, Quickley should at least get some consideration. It’s possible that Alec Burks can be moved and who knows what can happen with Derrick Rose. He does have two more years on his deal but the upcoming position at the coaching position can impact his stance with the Knicks due to his relationship with Coach Thibodeau.
With the young core this team has in place, Quickley deserves a shot to prove himself as the starting point guard. He is a player with some untapped potential that should be put to the test. Throughout the years, developing young talent hasn’t been the Knicks strong suit. It would be a shame for them to limit the growth of a player like Quickley. Starting him can possibly be the challenge that he needs to take his game to the next level. Now, maybe it shouldn’t be for all of next season but I think there should be a period during the 2022- 2023 season where Quickley is a starter.
Silver Lining
This season for the Knicks was an outright failure. But maybe with the way Quickley and the rest of the young players have been playing as of late, it can be a sign for better things to come. Hopefully, one of those things has to do with Quickley reaching his potential with this team. He would only be able to do that if he is given the opportunity to start. If I’m the Knicks, I would keep a close eye on Quickley’s development going into next season. His play can possibly lead to some success for the Knicks in the future.
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