The Raptors are headed in the wrong direction, but Scottie Barnes gives them a star to rebuild the roster around, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Saturday’s home loss against Utah was Toronto’s third in a row and its 10th in the last 13 games, but Barnes continued to be outstanding, tying his career high with 32 points while collecting 14 rebounds and dishing out seven assists.
“He was rebounding the ball well. He passed the ball really well. He scored a lot of points in the first half,” coach Darko Rajakovic said. “… He just continues to improve and he’s making the next step there. I wish that all of us, we can help [him] more and you know, help the team win.”
Barnes is exceeding expectations in his third NBA season, Grange adds. He’s averaging career highs with 20.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game and seems to have silenced any worries about his shooting, connecting at 48.9% from the field and 38.3% from three-point range.
The Raptors have several trade candidates as the February 8 deadline approaches, with Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby being the most prominent. Grange believes every personnel decision should be made with a focus on helping Barnes maximize his considerable talents.
There’s more from Toronto:
- Rajakokic was asked about potential lineup changes after Saturday’s loss, Grange adds, but he indicated it will take more than just rotation adjustments to start winning again. Grange states that an obvious move would be to remove center Jakob Poeltl, who scored just two points against Utah, from the starting lineup. “Sure, we can mix up rotations here and there during the game,” Rajakovic told reporters. “It’s not like we have Steph Curry sitting on the bench and I’m not putting him in on the court. … It’s not even really about lineups. The same people were on the court in the second half as well, but we were completely different in the way we played in the second half. That’s the mentality that we are going to look at and address.”
- The Raptors’ current roster doesn’t have enough strengths to offset its numerous weaknesses, observes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. The problems Koreen cites include spacing issues with the starting lineup, a lack of rim protection when Poeltl comes out of the game, inadequate depth and a disappointing defense.
- The first-round pick that Toronto owes San Antonio in the Poeltl trade is top-six protected for the next three years, then becomes a pair of second-rounders if it hasn’t conveyed by then. As Raptors reporter Aaron Rose points out, that obligation and a projected weak 2024 draft prevent tanking from being a viable option (Twitter link).
Veteran team that mostly has it’s championship team still together. Either trade Barnes and Dick for win now. Trade Trent, Boucher, Young and Dick to Houston for Vanfleet, Holiday and Boban. Offer Barnes, Porter , McDaniels, Jacob, the best player in the world Dennis S with 1sts to the clippers for K Leonard, Powell and Theis. Hope Lowry is bought out. Sign Danny Green and give a offer to Ibaka and Gasol. Offer pick and coach to Philly for head coach Nurse. Or keep Barnes and Dick and trade everyone else. Thanks everyone for the only championship but no thanks goodbye
Benching Poetl isn’t the answer. He’s their only shot blocker. They need to bench OG but they won’t because it will upset him. What a messy roster situation and their GM has had years to make it better and hasn’t
They should move both siakam and og, og is just good role player, and not building block for future. And ofc they need to be realistic, aron gordon is superior to og as rp, jerami grant too. So only reason raptors could hope for slightly better return is hype that is built around og. So at best two first and young player that didn’t really figured out yet things in the league. Siakam is good enough to be second/third on contender but is not young enough for 5/7 year plan. Again 2 first and young player is the most they ll get. Teams looking for forward upgrade could just go for grant, or way cheaper bojan.
Removing Poetl makes them last year’s team. If that were the answer, then they never would have felt the need to acquire him. Ujiri is going to have accept he’s assembled a flawed roster. Nobody else left to blame.
Siakam to pacers for Jarace Walker, Jalen Smith, NeSmith, Hield and 2 firsts or Siakam to hawks for Hunter, Mills, Bufkin, AJ and 2 firsts. Capella can go to mavs as the third team & whatever other parts. OG to kings for Huerter and 2 firsts …
SAS should be getting that pick this year. I don’t think Tor is top 6 pick bad especially with their refusal to trade Siakam or OG.
They currently have the 7th worst record and I would bet money that Memphis passes them. Anything is on the table for this team except winning at this point.
Darko keeps spouting the party line.