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Career Year For Raptors’ Scottie Barnes Derailed By Ankle Sprain – Blessing In Disguise?

Katherine Manz — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 00:38:21 +0000

The Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes is expected to miss several weeks following an ankle sprain sustained Monday.

The injury came in the third quarter of an eventual loss to the New York Knicks as Barnes landed awkwardly following an attempted block on Karl-Anthony Towns. Unable to put weight on his right foot, Barnes had to be helped off the court by teammates. The Raptors announced the sprain Wednesday, adding that Barnes would be re-evaluated in a week.

This isn’t the first time he’s missed this season, either. Barnes returned Nov. 21 from a right orbital fracture that cost him 11 games, a span which saw the Raptors in a 2-9 skid.

Barnes, the 2022 Rookie of the Year, earned All-Star accolades for the first time last season – and has only gotten better. He hung with the elite across 14 games this season, averaging career highs of 20.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game. If he is out for several weeks, the Raptors will miss him sorely.

Off the court, though, there might be a silver lining for the team.

Barnes signed a rookie-maximum contract extension this offseason, totaling $225 million over five years. The deal could be worth up to $270 million if Barnes meets supermax requirements – notably, making an All-NBA team.

Barnes’ injury will likely put him under the 65-game requirement for All-NBA selection, which would secure additional cap space for the rebuilding Raptors. If the team’s lack of success without Barnes continues, they also have a better shot at a top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Rebuilds aren’t cheap or easy, particularly when the franchise in question already has a cornerstone like Barnes it would like to retain. If Barnes’ injury will give the Toronto front office a bit more money and dibs on young talent, they’ll take what they can get.

The Raptors have lost four in a row after falling to the Heat on Thursday.

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After Scottie Barnes Record-Setting Deal, Can The Raptors Rebuild?

Nathaniel Marshall — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 02:42:09 +0000

All-Star forward Scottie Barnes is set to sign a rookie max extension worth up to $270 million over five years in a landmark move for the Toronto Raptors. This deal will make Barnes the highest-paid player in Raptors franchise history.

Barnes’ eligibility for the rookie max extension came after completing his third NBA season, during which he emerged as a first-time All-Star. His impressive averages of 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game highlight his growth and potential.

Barnes’ trajectory has been remarkable since entering the league in 2021, when he made an immediate impact by winning Rookie of the Year and earning First Team All-Rookie honors with averages of 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

A key aspect of Barnes’ development has been his improvement in three-point shooting. In his third year, he shot 34.1% from beyond the arc on nearly five attempts per game, a significant uptick from his 30.1% in his rookie season and 28.1% in his second year.

Though Barnes cannot officially sign the extension until July 6, agreeing to the terms now allows the Raptors to focus on other offseason priorities. The Raptors finished 11 games out of the last play-in spot in the Eastern Conference this season, signaling a need for a strategic rebuild. With a solid core of young players, including RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, the Raptors are positioned to develop a competitive roster around Barnes.

This season saw significant changes for the Raptors, including trading veterans Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby before the trade deadline to pivot towards a rebuild centered on Barnes.

By signing Barnes to the richest deal in franchise history, the Raptors have made it clear that they view him as the cornerstone of their future.

“I think the most difficult thing to do when you do things like this is finding the Scottie Barneses of the world, and we’re lucky to have a really good young player like this to build around,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri told CBS Sports.

Barnes’ extension is a financial commitment and a statement of faith in his potential to lead the Raptors back to contention. As Barnes continues to refine his game and expand his skill set, the Raptors can build a team capable of competing at the highest levels in the NBA.

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Raptors Clinch Playoff Spot With Win Over Hawks

Andrew Corselli — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 22:03:58 +0000

Party like it’s 80 million years ago: the Raptors are going to the playoffs!

Devin Booker is probably happy.

A 118-108 victory over the Atlanta Hawks Tuesday night clinched the postseason for Toronto, which got 31 points and 13 rebounds from Pascal Siakam and 19 points and 14 rebounds from Scottie Barnes.

Chris Boucher scored 18 points, Gary Trent Jr. 14, and Fred VanVleet 12 in the win.

Trae Young had 26 points and 15 assists in defeat, while the Hawks lost for the first time in six tries and can now finish no higher than seventh in the conference. Teams finishing in 7-10 in each conference must partake in the play-in tournament.

“Obviously we wish we were higher in the standings but we’re not,” Young said. “We are where we are. We’ve got to take care of business with what’s ahead of us.”

Toronto (46-33) has now won 12 of its last 16 games and has clinched at worst the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. They’ll next host the 76ers on Thursday, then the Rockets on Friday before closing out the season on Sunday at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks.

“We did what we set out to do in the regular season,” VanVleet said. “Now it’s time to go see what we can do.”

“They found a way to grind out enough wins to get them in this situation,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “I don’t think they were picked to be here, so that’s always a good accomplishment.”

The Hawks next host Washington on Wednesday before finishing the season with games at Miami and Houston. The team is 15-24 on the road this season—fewer road wins than any postseason contender in either conference.

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