Why Immanuel Quickley Should Remain Raptors Starting PG (And Why He Shouldn't)

The Toronto Raptors have a decision to make when it comes to their starting point guard decision, and the numbers tell two different stories.

Nov 12, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) dribbles past Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Toronto Raptors have slipped into a three-game losing skid, albeit on a very tough schedule. Missing your two best players doesn’t help, but they have let two very winnable games fall by the wayside and are now staring down a 5-7 record.

First and foremost, the Raptors need to get healthy. Relying on RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley can only get you so far. Say what you will about the Barrett and Quickley combo, but they both starters possess the ability to fill up the box score, when called upon.

The issue lies within playmaking. We’ve seen the Raptors’ offense become bogged-down in half court sets, especially when Barrett and Quickley fall into ISO-ball. There’s a correlation to be made with Toronto ranking 26th in offensive rating over their last three games.

Barrett isn’t often called upon to set the table for the Raptors, although his assist numbers have seen a slight bump with all the injuries. One of the main question marks heading into this season was if we’d see a version of Quickey facilitating  on offense, while converting on his shots, at an efficient rate. So far this season, the numbers show that he hasn’t hit the mark on either, through 12 games.

Does this mean Immanuel Quickley’s starting position is in jeopardy? Jamal Shead has certainly made the case for being the Raptors’ go-to floor general, especially with his recent play. He has been able to set up the offense with confidence and pace, all while taking care of the ball.

Both players bring certain qualities to the table and excel in different areas. If Quickley is to remain the Raptors’ starting point guard, he’ll have to tighten up his approach as a leader with this unit.

Quickley Needs to Keep the Raptors’ Offense Flowing

Nov 11, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) shoots the ball over Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are far too many possessions where Quickley holds on to the ball before shovelling it off with little to no time left on the shotclock. Running ISO’s through Quickley leads to poor shot selection which reflects a -9.2 points per 100 possessions in his on/off differentials this season. That places Quickley in the 15th percentile amongst guards in that category, as well as the 13th percentile in effective field goal percentage, which sits at -5 per cent, as per Cleaning The Glass.

The assist numbers can also be a little misleading. While averaging 5.6 assists per game is fine, you hope for more out of your starting point guard. He owns a 27.3 assist percentage which isn’t bad, but still a few notches below league average. We see a lot of his assists come from routine swing passes or pick-and-roll pops. This requires his teammates to create after the catch, rather than Quickley manufacturing the look, like Shead does.

The problem is, swapping Shead for Quickley in the starting lineup isn’t that straightforward, as there is a significant drop-off in shooting numbers when comparing their offensive production.

Raptors Can’t Rely On Shead’s Shooting

Nov 12, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Toronto Raptors Jamal Shead (1) controls the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s clear who the better shooter is between the two guards. While Quickey has struggled, he thrives in catch-and-shoot scenarios and playing off-ball from other creators, like Scottie Barnes. He currently shoots the long ball at a 32.1 per cent, which places him at the 34th percentile amongst guards in the league.

Unfortunately, there’s a steep drop between the two point guards, as Shead is shooting the three-ball at 25 per cent clip. While the season is still young, the early shooting numbers haven’t been encouraging from Shead. 

It’s easy to look at Immanuel Quickley and compare him to a Lou Williams-type of guard and envision him as a sixth-man spark plug off the bench. While there are signs that the Raptors’ offense runs more fluidly with Shead at the helm, they can’t afford the dip in scoring at this time.

We won’t have a clear understanding of how this offense truly functions until Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard are healthy and back in the lineup. Until then, the Raptors will have to figure out a way to stay afloat with Immanuel Quickley remaining as the starting point guard.

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