Restricted free agency in the NBA is tricky. If a player who is a restricted free agent would like to leave his current team, he can sign an offer sheet with another team, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he will get to play there. His current team can match the offer and keep him around.
So, going after a restricted free agent can be tricky unless you are entirely sure that the other team will not match the offer. One interesting restricted free agent this summer is Immanuel Quickley.
Quickley spent most of his career as a sixth man for the New York Knicks but found his way to Toronto when the Knicks acquired OG Anunoby. With the Raptors, the 24-year-old became a full-time starter, averaging 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists over 38 games.
He is an interesting young player for the Raptors’ rebuild, and they would certainly love to keep him around. Quickley might prefer to play for a better team, however, and Raptors’ writer Josh Cornelissen listed the Magic as one of the teams Toronto should worry about when it comes to Quickley’s restricted free agency.
Could the Magic steal Quickley from the Raptors this summer?
Quickley certainly has an interesting skill set for the Magic. He is a talented scorer who can create his own shot and is a threat from behind the arc. Over his time with the Raptors, he shot 39.5 percent on 7.1 three-point attempts per game. He is also a capable playmaker, averaging a career-high 6.8 assists per game with the Raptors.
Granted, 38 games is an incredibly small sample size, but Quickley flashed the same talents during his time with the Knicks. A bigger role should give him the room to do this rather consistently.
The Magic could definitely use someone with exactly that skill set to slide into the starting backcourt with Jalen Suggs. Cole Anthony and Markelle Fultz are not the solution, and Anthony Black has to prove himself as a volume shooter first. So, the Magic’s best bet is to target a point guard in free agency.
In theory, they have the cap space to make an enticing offer to Quickley. If he was an unrestricted free agent, they should definitely go after him. The problem with restricted free agency, however, is that it’s a lengthier process. Having to wait for the Raptors to make a decision might mean missing out on other free agents and then being left without an impactful point guard, as Cornelissen outlined.
While Quickley would be a fun addition to this young Magic roster, and the organization could make an offer to him, it seems risky. There are other point guards out there they can just sign outright.