NBA Awards Rankings: New No. 1 in Sixth Man of the Year race

Immanuel Quickley's minutes have actually decreased after last season's second-place finish in 6MOY voting. Josh Hart continues to eat a lot of bench wing and guard minutes, while the arrival of Donte DiVincenzo and the sustained success of Quentin Grimes in the starting five can make it difficult for the New York Knicks to adequately feed everyone.

At some point, however, the Knicks will probably resign themselves to the simple fact that Quickley is one of their best players, and thus he deserves more minutes. In only 24.7 minutes per game, the speedster out of Kentucky is averaging 15.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on .455/.393/.886 splits. He continues to defend either guard spot at a high level and he is one of the few reliable shooters for a Knicks team struggling from deep in the early going.

Despite the ostensibly reduced role, Quickley has put his stamp on the early awards race. There's a palpable shift in energy when he steps on the court. His electric drives, quick-twitch handles, and versatile shot-making completely change the equation for New York's offense. He puts pressure on the rim, makes strong decisions in the flow of the offense, and is flexible enough to fit into a number of personnel groups.

The Knicks are back above .500 at 6-5. New York's impressive first-round victory over the Cavs set expectations high for the 2023-24 campaign. If the goal is to further their standing in the Eastern Conference hierarchy, Quickley probably deserves closer to last season's 28.9 minutes per game — and perhaps expanded responsibilities on offense, even with R.J. Barrett's resurgent start.