TORONTO – Even off the court, Immanuel Quickley is all the time trying to make an assist.
Quickley was upgraded to questionable by the Toronto Raptors on Thursday, a day before they’re scheduled to play their final game of the pre-season. The 25-year-old guard has missed Toronto’s first 4 tune-up games with a sprained thumb but stayed busy reviewing film, figuring out, and doing what he could on the court.
“Just trying to seek out other ways to recover, other ways to assist other guys recover,” Quickley told reporters after practice. “Now we have a number of rookies. Each time anyone has to sing ‘Blissful Birthday,’ it’s like seven or eight rookies.
“I actually have an obligation to assist seven or eight guys any time I get a probability. So I try to try this.”
Quickley has been a relentless presence throughout Raptors training camp and Toronto’s pre-season. He was often seen at OVO Athletic Centre doing drills, all the time with a forged on his left hand.
“I had like 4 or five different casts to check out, just trying to seek out a very good one which can protect me,” he said. “Feel pretty good, otherwise.
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“I’m just attempting to get my wind back and stuff like that, attempt to get my legs under me.”
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Quickley was asked directly if he could play a game with the forged on but he was unsure.
“Still questionable for (Friday), to be honest. But we’ll see,” he said. “See how I feel tomorrow. Went through practice today.”
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said that Quickley has been cleared for all practice and team activities but coaches can be cautious about putting him into Friday’s last pre-season game or resting him until Wednesday’s regular-season home opener.
“We’ll see how he feels (Friday), if he’s going to be available for the sport or not,” said Rajakovic. “If he does play, I don’t wish to put an excessive amount of on him and too many minutes.
“We’re going to be smart to construct him. It’s one thing to work out with coaches, and a special thing to go in and really compete in NBA games.”
Quickley moved over to point guard after the Raptors acquired him on Dec. 30 in a trade with the Recent York Knicks. He averaged 18.6 points, 6.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 38 games for Toronto in that latest role last season.
His performance as a degree guard was so impressive that the Raptors re-signed Quickley to a five-year, US$175 million contract on July 8. The deal confirmed that Quickley, all-star forward Scottie Barnes and swingman RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., are considered the team’s future.
“He had a special role on a special team and he got here to us in the course of the season. I believe this 12 months (the goal) is for him to stabilize,” said Rajakovic. “He doesn’t must worry about the rest but improving on the court and improving offensively and defensively.
“His mindset is the best one. He understands what he must do.”
Toronto visits the Brooklyn Nets on Friday to shut out its pre-season. Whether Quickley plays in that exhibition or not, Rajakovic is glad to get in another game before the regular season begins on Wednesday when the Raptors welcome the Cleveland Cavaliers to Scotiabank Arena.
“Every game is of giant importance for us,” he said. “We’re a really young team. We’d like all those reps, we’d like all of those experiences, we’d like all of those learning moments.
“I’m glad that we’re playing one other road game … We’d like to learn what it takes to play on the road as well.”
Barrett (sprained shoulder), forward Bruce Brown (arthroscopic surgery on right knee) and rookie combo guard Ja’Kobe Walter (sprained shoulder) remain out.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
