It'll take a while for New York Knicks fans to accept that RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley are now on another team. Not only that, but they play for a hated division rival, the Toronto Raptors.
In a shocking move, the Knicks sent Barrett, Quickley, and a 2024 second-round pick to the Raptors for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn. New York waived DaQuan Jeffries to open a roster spot after the trade.
Knicks fans should've already started to prepare themselves for losing Quickley, as he's set to be a restricted free agent during the offseason, but to lose him and Barrett in the same trade was unexpected. Or, to lose them both in December and not closer to the trade deadline was unexpected.
Knicks fans react to losing RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Raptors
Josh Hart and Immanuel Quickley aren't classified as Knicks fans, but they were the first two players to react to the news shortly after it was reported.
Tweets from fans began to pour in processing the trade, with some excited for what's to come, but others declared it a bad move by the Knicks.
Quickley has the tools to be a star in today's NBA, but at least New York got something in return for him rather than let him walk for nothing, which happened to Dallas when Jalen Brunson left.
It's interesting (although not necessarily surprising) that fans seem more upset that Quickley is leaving over Barrett. The Toronto native was supposed to be the future when he was drafted No. 3 overall in 2019 and signed an extension in 2022. Quickley was a first-round draft pick in 2020, and he made his name known in 2022-23 with a Sixth Man runner-up finish.
Fans dreaded seeing Obi Toppin suit up for the Pacers after he was traded in July, and Quickley wearing a Raptors uniform doesn't compare. With a more prominent role in Toronto, IQ will have a prime shot at making the Knicks regret not paying him in the first place.
It's too early to determine which team won the trade, although some Knicks fans have already exclaimed the Raptors did. OG Anunoby will fit in well alongside Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, and if you haven't noticed, he's a pretty good player.
Cope with losing Quickley and Barrett however you need to, but eventually, you'll have to move forward. There are still 51 regular-season games left to be played!