Winners: R.J. Barrett and Immanuel Quickley
While Barrett and Quickley were important players for New York, there was always a feeling that they could be doing more elsewhere. Barrett's development has been hindered by playing behind Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle.
Randle has especially made it difficult for R.J. to blossom into a star, as the Knicks' power forward has been around for all of Barrett's career and has taken up the majority of shots and playmaking opportunities throughout those years.
That's not trying to throw Randle under the bus at all; he's a star player, and that's what star players do. But perhaps New York was never the best fit for R.J. from the start. In Toronto, he will be provided with many opportunities to have the ball in his hands, assuming a subsequent Siakam trade is on the horizon.
The same can be said for Quickley, who has thrived in his role as a sixth man in New York but has clearly proven himself worthy of a starting spot. Without a star point guard in his way, he should be handed the keys to run the offense in Toronto and potentially earn himself a large contract as he enters restricted free agency this coming offseason.