REPORT: Immanuel Quickley “not in serious talks” for an extension, no current trade suitors

The offseason is slowly but surely coming to an end, the FIBA World Cup wrapped up on Sunday, Sept. 10, and everybody is getting ready for another preseason packed full of NBA content. That, of course, means that beat reporters and basketball insiders are already getting their phones hypercharged and connecting with “sources” all across the globe.

Ian Begley of SNY got the ball rolling on the Immanuel Quickley subject a few days ago by answering a question submitted by a fan in his latest mailbag.

Begley promptly answered, “I haven’t heard anything about specific teams’ interest in Quickley.”

Uh, oh, case closed? Not so fast, fancy pants.

Ian expanded on that barebones answer by adding that he would “bet a mortgage payment” on the idea of IQ having “several strong suitors” if/once/when the Knicks decide to put him in the market and make the guard available in a trade.

If you remember, Quickley is coming off a career season in which he should have won the Sixth Man of the Year award had he not been blocked by the Boston Media Mafia.

IQ wrapped up the 2023 season, averaging 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game.

Quickley is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and if the Knicks don’t extend him before the start of the regular season, he will become a restricted free agent next July.

Speaking of extensions....

Sean Deveney of Heavy added a new saucy wrinkle to the Knicks-IQ saga on Saturday, quoting an NBA source telling him “there has been some base-touching” between Quickley and New York on a potential extension ahead of the season, but “no serious talks as of yet.“

Deveney added that there is “some pessimism” about whether an extension and an agreement could be reached before October, although he also wrote that talks are “not expected to heat up” until next month. A reason for hope, we have to guess.

Of course, extending Quickley is no joke because the Knicks 1) surely won’t like to lose him for nothing, 2) won’t like to play any type of hardball negotiation nor pony up as much money as whoever else wants to offer IQ in restricted free agency, and 3) currently have a plethora of guards rostered and someone, inevitably, will need to go sooner or later.

Quickley is one of many pieces of a Knicks backcourt that features Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, Donte DiVincenzo, and hybrid-guard-wings Josh Hart and RJ Barrett coming off reasonably good international tournaments, with Team USA and Team Canada respectively solidifying their importance for the Knicks upon their return to New York.

Deveney also quotes an NBA executive in his piece saying that the asking price for Quickley could reach Brunson’s heights (four years, $104 million), although that “might be a little too rich for New York,” and Quickley could get closer to something “in the range of $80 million for four years.”

The 2024 regular season tips off on Oct. 24, with the Denver Nuggets hosting the Los Angeles Lakers, followed by a matchup between the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors.

The New York Knicks will open their season one day later hosting the Boston Celtics of all teams. Clock ticking, time running out, decisions should be made quickl(e)y.