NBA Sixth Man of the Year betting: Quickley rising up the ranks

A "bench player" usually carries a negative connotation - like they aren't worthy of being a starter. But that's often not the case. Rotation players, particularly the sixth man, are paramount to a team's success. They carry the weight of fitting in with the starters as the first guy off the bench and becoming a primary option in the second unit.

So, who has the best chance of having a positive impact off the bench and earning this year's Sixth Man of the Year award?

Thirteen of the last 14 winners played on playoff teams. The lone exception was Lou Williams - a three-time recipient - in 2018.

The other unwritten requirement is that the player must come off the bench in most games - a no-brainer, given the award name. The last six winners came off the bench in at least 62% of their games.

Malcolm Brogdon was the recipient last year after a productive season with the Celtics, where he averaged 14.9 points per game on 48% shooting. However, he now plays for the Trail Blazers, which unofficially disqualifies him from the award, assuming Portland is one of the worst teams in the league.

Portland could find a trade suitor for Brogdon during the season, but he's stuck in Portland for now.

Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook are high on the oddsboard, but it's uncertain whether they're going to be starters or bench players, making them a risky bet. Plus, it's fair to question how much production each of them can offer at this point in their careers.

Sixth Man of the Year odds

Malik Monk and Derrick White are expected to be in contention down the stretch of the season. After an offseason of shuffling the cards in Boston, White remains a Celtic.

Although they're different players, White assumes the role Brogdon held last year as the primary option off the bench. Entering his seventh season, White's a Swiss Army knife as a pesky defender and knockdown shooter. He averaged 12.4 points and 38% shooting from three in 28 minutes per game.

White's minutes should increase, and the top-heavy Celtics are counting on him to carry a heavy burden in a second unit sparse with impact players.

After early-career struggles - particularly with efficiency - Monk has paved a role as a fluid, versatile scorer. Monk would start on most teams, but the Kings' depth at wing forces Monk to come off the bench. He bought into his role last season and averaged 13.5 points while shooting 36% from three. Another jump is imminent from Monk.

While Monk and White are worthy contenders, Immanuel Quickley - the favorite and last year's runner-up - will be this season's Sixth Man of the Year.

It speaks volumes about the Knicks' depth that three guards have odds of 33-1 or shorter.

Josh Hart and free-agent addition Donte DiVincenzo create a dangerous second unit. But the engine that makes the second group go is Quickley.

The fourth-year guard has been a revelation for the Knicks since he was drafted 25th overall in 2020. He took a huge leap on both ends last season as a facilitator, scorer, and defender, increasing his minutes, points, field-goal percentage, and 3-point percentage from the previous season.

His development in the Knicks' system has been essential. Jalen Brunson is the most important player in New York, but when he sits, it's important the Knicks' offense can still function. It can with Quickley.

He had the second-highest total RAPTOR - an advanced stat that tracks a player's impact offensively and defensively - on the team last season behind Brunson.

The explosive guard is lightning quick - no pun intended - and at his best in the pick-and-roll or in transition.

Quickley was used as the ball-handler in the pick-and-roll in 30% of his scoring plays. He scored 0.99 points per possession on those plays - better than Trae Young and Ja Morant.

Below is a textbook navigation of a screen. Quickley uses the screen, gets his defender on his back, and remains patient while reading the next layer of defense before rising for one of his patented soft-touch floaters:

Here's an example of a similar play and read (Quickley surely thanked Isaiah Hartenstein for a perfect seal that opened up a lane):

Quickley is also frequently attacking in transition - 17% of his plays - and scores 1.25 points per possession, better than Anthony Edwards and De'Aaron Fox.

His first step and initial burst are frighteningly fast. It takes him less than four seconds to get from one end of the floor to the other while racing by the Sixers' discombobulated transition defense for a tough finish:

Although Quickley's strength is with the ball in his hands, he can play off the ball when he's on the floor with Brunson. Quickley shot 46.6% on catch-and-shoot threes, the best mark on the Knicks among players who played over 40 games.

Of the Knicks' six highest offensive-rated lineups that played at least 20 games together, five featured both Brunson and Quickley.

This is part of the reason why:

Brunson commands so much attention from a defense. He fakes the dribble-handoff with RJ Barrett and attacks the rim, forcing two defenders to leave their assignment and converge on Brunson. He makes the right read - as he usually does - and finds Quickley for an open corner three.

Quickley had the fourth-highest usage rate on the team among rotation players despite averaging the sixth-most minutes.

Another leap is coming from Quickley - and this time, it won't end with him as the runner-up.

Pick: Immanuel Quickley to win Sixth Man of the Year +800 (bet $10 to win $80)

Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @soshtry for more betting coverage