The New York Knicks shocked everyone with how well they performed during the 2022-23 NBA season. Not landing a superstar in a trade, as they got close to acquiring Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz, didn’t end up hurting them.
Free agent acquisition Jalen Brunson helped flip the script for the team, as he helped lead the Knicks back to the playoffs. In fact, they were able to defeat Mitchell and his Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round before falling to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
While Brunson was a big reason that the Knicks found so much success last season, he wasn’t the only player that helped. Another high-level performer from the backcourt was super sixth man, Immanuel Quickley.
Quickley appeared in 81 games, starting 21, becoming a lethal weapon for Tom Thibodeau no matter the role he is asked to play. Whether it is coming off the bench or being in the starting five, he has become an integral part of their game plan.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Immanuel Quickley & New York Knicks Updates
The 2022-23 campaign was by far the best one of Quickley’s young career. He put up career-highs across the board, averaging 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and one steal in 29.9 minutes per game.
It could not have come at a better time for the Kentucky product, as he is extension eligible this offseason. Despite his numbers dropping during the postseason, he is someone that the Knicks want to keep long-term and the feeling is mutual.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Immanuel Quickley & New York Knicks Updates
Per NBA Trade Report on Twitter, contract negotiations between Quickley and the Knicks are going to pick up in September. The annual average value of the deal is expected to be about $18 million, with his earnings going as high as potentially $25 million with incentives. Both sides do not want this to drag on and there is motivation to get a deal finished rapidly once talks begin.
Given how much money other energizing guards around the league have made, coming to an agreement on a deal that averages between $18-25 million per season seems reasonable for both sides. It would be another feather in the cap of team president Leon Rose, who has had some shortcomings but the draft has not been one of them.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Immanuel Quickley & New York Knicks Updates
Quickley, the No. 25 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, has been a great find for the team. The Knicks were infamously given a D+ for their selection of Quickley, quickly proving those evaluators wrong with his performance on the court.
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