Scottie Barnes Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Raptors Notes: Deadline, Brown, Olynyk, Agbaji, Trent, Dinwiddie, Barnes

February 9th, 2024 at 8:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors made a pair of deals on deadline day, but they did their most significant work on the trade market earlier in the season when they sent OG Anunoby to New York and Pascal Siakam to Indiana. In the view of general manager Bobby Webster, Thursday’s moves were more about balancing the roster a little and preparing for the offseason, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca relays.

“We did our heavy lifting about a month ago,” Webster said. “So I feel like this trade deadline we cleaned up a lot of things and we addressed some of the things we talked about after the OG and Pascal trades.”

The new-look Raptors currently have an 18-33 record, the sixth-worst mark in the league. A poor finish to the season could put them in position to hang onto their own 2024 first-round pick, which will be sent to San Antonio if it doesn’t land in the top six.

However, as Webster pointed out on Thursday, the NBA’s lottery system offers no assurances – the sixth-worst team is more likely to end up in the No. 7-9 range than to pick in the top six – so there will be no effort to game the system down the stretch. Toronto’s focus will be on developing young talent and getting the new core players familiar with one another.

“We’re going to prioritize seeing this group play,” Webster said. “If it ends up that we’re in the top six, sure. But especially with the way the new NBA rules are, to try to game that doesn’t make a ton of sense. At the end of the day, it’s going to [come down to] the lottery balls. I think the big priority for us is playing that young group together, getting (2023 lottery pick) Gradey (Dick) in there with that group, seeing how they fit together because that will give us a lot more information about how to build this team and what moves to make this summer.”

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Toronto was seeking a first-round pick beyond 2024 for Bruce Brown and didn’t want to take back multiyear money, according to Lewenberg. With no team willing to meet that asking price, the Raptors hung onto the veteran wing, whose deal includes a $23MM team option for next season. “Had we gotten the offers we wanted for Bruce we would’ve done something,” Webster said (Twitter link). “At the same time, Bruce is 27, he has a really interesting contract, he provides a professionalism and toughness that we value, and there’s options with Bruce this summer.”
The Raptors will look to sign newly acquired big man Kelly Olynyk to a new contract and keep him beyond the current season, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Webster said on Thursday that Olynyk wants to be in his hometown of Toronto, per Eric Koreen of The Athletic. “We’ve been big fans of Kelly,” Webster said. “I think the way we view him specifically is he’s a steady hand and I think we’ve seen it with the bench units, especially with the bigs, he’s going to provide a skill set of veteran presence, a voice that we think that unit could use some help with.”
Reiterating that the Raptors never intended to use all the 2024 draft picks they controlled, Webster suggested the team was happy to use one of those lesser assets to acquire Olynyk and to add a young player in Ochai Agbaji, tweets Lewenberg. Webster described Agbaji as a “hard-working, high-character” player with “a lot of upside.”
Gary Trent Jr., who is on an expiring contact, remained with the Raptors through the trade deadline. Webster said the plans for Trent are “a little TBD” and that the team is looking forward to evaluating him down the stretch (Twitter link via Lewenberg).
The decision to waive Spencer Dinwiddie after acquiring him from Brooklyn means that Scottie Barnes will get more point guard reps the rest of the way, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (via Twitter). Murphy adds that Toronto intends to fill its two open 15-man roster spots and will consider all avenues, including prospects from the G League and overseas.
In a story for Sportsnet.ca, Murphy explores how the Raptors’ latest in-season trades alter their salary cap outlook going forward.

Trae Young, Scottie Barnes Named 2024 All-Stars

February 6th, 2024 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Hawks guard Trae Young and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes have been named All-Stars, according to the NBA, which announced the two players as Eastern Conference injury replacements (press release).

Young and Barnes will take the spots previously held by Sixers center Joel Embiid (knee) and Knicks forward Julius Randle (shoulder). Both players are sidelined with injuries that are expected to keep them on the shelf well beyond the All-Star break.

Young, 25, has been one of the NBA’s top scorers and play-makers once again in 2023/24, averaging 27.3 points, 10.9 assists, and 1.5 steals in 36.6 minutes per game across 45 appearances. He’s also making 38.4% of his three-point attempts, which would be a career high.

Young’s Hawks are just 22-28 so far this season, which presumably hurt his case in the initial round of All-Star voting. That’s also the case for Barnes, who is having a terrific third season despite Toronto’s underwhelming 17-33 record.

Barnes is averaging career highs in points (20.2), rebounds (8.1), assists (5.8), and blocks (1.5) per game, as well as three-point percentage (36.5%). With Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and Pascal Siakam no longer on the roster, the former Rookie of the Year is now the unquestioned centerpiece of the Raptors’ long-term plans.

Young was selected as an injury replacement despite the fact that he’s replacing a frontcourt player, signaling that the league felt he was the Eastern Conference’s most notable snub. It’s his third All-Star nod, while Barnes is a first-time All-Star.

Embiid was initially voted a starter, so East coach Doc Rivers will have to select one of the conference’s reserves to replace the reigning MVP in his starting lineup.

Trade Rumors: Gafford, Grimes, Wizards, Raptors, Jazz, Bridges

January 26th, 2024 at 3:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards are among the teams with interest in Knicks wing Quentin Grimes, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who also confirms that Washington center Daniel Gafford remains on New York’s radar. A report a couple weeks ago indicated that the Knicks had inquired on Gafford.

With Isaiah Hartenstein playing well in a starting role, Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims providing depth at the five, and Mitchell Robinson possibly on track to return before the season is over, the Knicks might already be set up front.

However, Robinson’s return this season isn’t a certainty and Hartenstein has missed the past two games with an injury of his own (left Achilles tendinopathy), so it sounds as if the Knicks haven’t ruled out the possibility of pursuing another frontcourt player. Still, if Hartenstein is back in the lineup within a week or so and feels good, I wouldn’t expect a center – especially one like Gafford, who wouldn’t be cheap – to be a focus at the deadline.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

Acquiring draft picks will be a top priority for the Wizards on the trade market, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the latest episode of The Hoop Collective podcast, noting that the team wasn’t able to extract a first-rounder in its offseason deals involving Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Monte Morris. Drafting and developing players is a specialty for multiple Wizards executives, including GM Will Dawkins and VP of player personnel Travis Schlenk, Windhorst observes, so the club has a “mandate” to restock its draft assets.
The Raptors remain open for business, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca, who says Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett are believed to be off-limits, but anyone else could be on the table. Lewenberg identifies Dennis Schröder, Gary Trent, Chris Boucher, and Bruce Brown as the team’s top trade candidates and doesn’t close the door on the possibility of a Jakob Poeltl deal.
Outside of Lauri Markkanen, who is virtually untouchable, Jordan Clarkson and Kelly Olynyk are the Jazz players generating the most trade interest, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic. Jones adds that the Knicks are among the team showing the most interest in Clarkson.
As his name pops up in trade rumors, Hornets forward Miles Bridges tells Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer that his preference would be to remain in Charlotte. “Like I said before, the Hornets have been behind me and I want to stay here,” Bridges said. “I want to be here and that’s never going to change. So, as much talk as people hear that’s going around, just know that I want to stay with the Hornets.” If that’s truly what he wants, he has the power to make it happen, given that he has the right to veto any trade involving him this season.

Raptors Notes: Poeltl, Deadline Primer, Trade Tiers, Quickley

January 25th, 2024 at 3:05pm CST by Rory Maher

Raptors center Jakob Poeltl was able to go through portions of Wednesday’s practice but he still hasn’t been cleared for contact work, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. Head coach Darko Rajakovic said Poeltl is working on his conditioning after being out since January 7 with a left ankle sprain, and the Austrian big man is considered day-to-day.

Toronto reacquired Poeltl last February, when the team sent out its 2024 first-round pick (top-six protected) to San Antonio. Poeltl, who has averaged 10.6 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.5 APG and 1.4 BPG in 36 games this season, re-signed with the Raptors on a four-year, $78MM deal last summer.

The roster looks a lot different now than it did last year, with veterans Fred VanVleet (signed with Houston in free agency), OG Anunoby (traded to New York) and Pascal Siakam (traded to Indiana) all on new teams. Poeltl said it was difficult to see Siakam go, according to Lewenberg (Twitter link).

“It was tough because he was the guy I was closest to on this team,” Poeltl said of Siakam. “… I guess I was mentally prepared for it a little bit already because there were so many rumors… but it’s still really sad for me to basically lose my best friend on the team.”

With Toronto now focused on developing its young players rather than competing for a playoff spot, Lewenberg asked Poeltl if the team’s change of direction made him question the decision to re-sign or ponder his future with the Raptors (Twitter link).

“Not necessarily,” Poeltl said. “The only thing that was important to me is that I was on a team that could play competitive basketball. As long as it’s not a team that was really actively trying to tank, I guess, was the thing for me. Like, I want to play on a team that’s trying to win every night.

“So, for me, even though had some changes and we lost some really good players, I think we’re still on a course where we’re trying to build around this team right now and were not hunting for a No. 1 draft pick, you know what I mean? So as long as that’s the case, I think I’m going to be happy here and I’m hoping to contribute to this new Raptors team, this new project that we’re starting.”

Here’s more on the Raptors, who are currently 16-28 after dropping seven of their past eight games:

On a related topic, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca wonders if fans should be cheering for the Raptors to lose for the remainder of 2023/24 in order to keep their first-round pick. As previously mentioned, Toronto will only keep the pick if it lands in the top six of the upcoming draft; in that scenario, the Spurs would be owed the Raptors’ 2025 first-rounder, with the same top-six protection. On the other hand, Grange notes that the 2025 draft is viewed by scouts and executives as having more top-end talent compared to 2024; the No. 7 or No. 8 pick in ’25 could be end up being quite a bit more valuable than a top-six pick this year.
Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca recently released a trade deadline primer that covers Toronto’s cap situation, draft assets, player assets, exceptions, restrictions (newly acquired players can’t be aggregated with other salaries), and more.
The only “untouchable” player on Toronto’s roster is Scottie Barnes, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic, who believes the third-year forward will sign a rookie scale max extension this summer. Koreen also thinks “it would be aggressively weird” if RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick, Jordan Nwora or Kira Lewis were traded. Veterans like Bruce Brown, Gary Trent Jr., Dennis Schröder, Chris Boucher and Poeltl fall into Koreen’s “Selling with hopes of a return” trade tier, though he doesn’t think Poeltl will actually be moved.
Starting guard Quickley has been ruled out for Friday’s contest with the Clippers due to a thigh bruise, Murphy tweets. Quickley, acquired from New York in the Anunoby deal, is averaging 16.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 6.1 APG through 12 games (31.8 MPG) as a Raptor. The 24-year-old will be traveling on the upcoming six-game road trip, per Doug Smith of The Toronto Star (Twitter link), which suggests it may be a short-term injury.

Team USA Announces 41-Player Pool For 2024 Olympics

January 23rd, 2024 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

USA Basketball has officially announced a pool of 41 players who are in the mix for the 12 spots on the 2024 Olympic men’s basketball team.

While the pool is subject to change, Team USA’s 12-man roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics will, in all likelihood, be made up of players from this group.

The list figures to shrink as the summer nears due to players suffering injuries or opting not to participate for other reasons, but at some point prior to the July event the U.S. decision-makers will have to choose a final roster from the remaining candidates.

Here’s the full list of 41 players, 28 of whom have represented Team USA in a previous World Cup or Olympics:

Bam Adebayo (Heat)
Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers)
Paolo Banchero (Magic)
Desmond Bane (Grizzlies)
Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
Devin Booker (Suns)
Mikal Bridges (Nets)
Jaylen Brown (Celtics)
Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
Jimmy Butler (Heat)
Alex Caruso (Bulls)
Stephen Curry (Warriors)
Anthony Davis (Lakers)
Kevin Durant (Suns)
Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
Joel Embiid (Sixers)
De’Aaron Fox (Kings)
Paul George (Clippers)
Aaron Gordon (Nuggets)
Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers)
James Harden (Clippers)
Josh Hart (Knicks)
Tyler Herro (Heat)
Jrue Holiday (Celtics)
Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
Brandon Ingram (Pelicans)
Kyrie Irving (Mavericks)
Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies)
LeBron James (Lakers)
Cameron Johnson (Nets)
Walker Kessler (Jazz)
Kawhi Leonard (Clippers)
Damian Lillard (Bucks)
Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)
Chris Paul (Warriors)
Bobby Portis (Bucks)
Austin Reaves (Lakers)
Duncan Robinson (Heat)
Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
Derrick White (Celtics)
Trae Young (Hawks)

Adebayo, Booker, Durant, Holiday, Lillard, and Tatum were part of the Olympic team that won gold in Tokyo in 2021. Jerami Grant, Draymond Green, Keldon Johnson, Zach LaVine, JaVale McGee, and Khris Middleton were also on that roster, but aren’t part of the preliminary pool this time around. It’s possible some of them turned down invitations.

“The United States boasts unbelievable basketball talent and I am thrilled that many of the game’s superstars have expressed interest in representing our country at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games,” national team managing director Grant Hill said in a statement. “It is a privilege to select the team that will help us toward the goal of once again standing atop the Olympic podium. This challenging process will unfold over the next several months as we eagerly anticipate the start of national team activity.”

USA Basketball also announced today that Team USA will face Team Canada in Las Vegas on July 10 in an exhibition game. It sounds like that contest will take place during the NBA’s 2024 Summer League.

Raptors Notes: Barrett, Quickley, Barnes, Draft Pick

January 20th, 2024 at 6:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

Raptors forward RJ Barrett is hoping for a friendly reception from fans tonight in his first-ever road game at Madison Square Garden, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. The Knicks were in the middle of a road trip when Barrett and Immanuel Quickley were sent to Toronto as part of a five-player trade on December 30, so this marks the first time back in New York City for either player since the deal. Barrett has fond memories of the four-plus seasons he spent with the Knicks, and he hopes the city feels the same way.

“I think the one thing [I appreciated most here] was the fans,” Barrett said. “Sold out every night, it’s like a show at the Garden, with all the lights and everything that goes on. So I was always appreciative of that, I always loved playing in the Garden. But [Saturday] I’ll be a visitor, and I’m excited to see what that’s like.”

Quickley has been given a larger role with the Raptors than he had in New York, Botte adds. Even though he was runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year honors last season, coach Tom Thibodeau was only playing him 24 minutes per night before the deal. Quickley has become a starter in Toronto and is averaging career highs of 18.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists through 10 games.

“I don’t cry during movies, so I’d probably say not that much,” Quickley responded when asked if he expects returning to the Garden to be emotional, “but this one will be — I’ma try not to cry.”

There’s more on the Raptors:

Quickley believes he developed “thick skin” from dealing with the New York media and the expectations of Knicks fans, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. He still keeps in touch with his former teammates and says he understands why he was traded. “Business of basketball,” Quickley said. “The Knicks made a decision. And not really much you can do about it. Expecting to play a basketball game [that night against the Pacers] and didn’t.”
Barrett and Scottie Barnes both received an A-minus as Eric Koreen of The Athletic handed out his mid-season grades for the Raptors. Koreen cites Barnes’ improvement as a shooter as the most positive development for the team and says Barrett has been a perfect partner for him in transition.
Indiana’s own 2024 first-round pick that Toronto received in the Pascal Siakam trade is top-three protected, so it won’t convey in the unlikely event that the Pacers miss the playoffs and get lucky in the lottery. If that happens, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet (Twitter link), the Raptors would receive Indiana’s second-round pick in 2025 and the least favorable 2024 second-rounder among the Pacers, Jazz and Cavaliers.

Raptors Notes: Brown, Trent, Schröder, Siakam, Barnes, Lewis

January 19th, 2024 at 10:42am CST by Luke Adams

After a hectic 30-plus hours that saw him fly from Sacramento to Indiana to Toronto, Bruce Brown was available to make his Raptors debut on Thursday night vs. Chicago, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter links).

While newcomers Jordan Nwora and Kira Lewis were also cleared to play, Brown was the only one of the three to see any action and he responded in impressive fashion, scoring 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting and grabbing seven rebounds off the bench. Toronto lost the game 116-110, but Brown was a +11 in his 25 minutes.

Thursday’s performance showed how Brown could fit on the Raptors’ new-look roster, but it remains to be seen whether or not he’ll finish the season with the club. Exploring that subject on the latest episode of FanDuel’s Run it Back show (YouTube link), Shams Charania of The Athletic suggested that Toronto could probably net a first-round pick or a “boatload” of second-rounders for Brown in a pre-deadline deal, adding that there will be “no shortage of suitors” for the 27-year-old guard/forward.

According to Charania, Brown, Gary Trent Jr., and Dennis Schröder are among the Raptors veterans worth keeping an eye on in the coming weeks, since they may not be part of the team’s plans beyond this season and they’d appeal to playoff teams on the trade market.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Following his trade to Indiana, longtime Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, who spent the first seven-and-a-half years of his career with the franchise, wrote in The Players’ Tribune about how much his time in Toronto meant to him and why it’s hard to say goodbye.
As long as Siakam was on the roster, the Raptors were able to hedge their bet on Scottie Barnes‘ ascent to franchise cornerstone, letting Siakam take the reins while the former Rookie of the Year grew into that role, Lewenberg writes at TSN.ca. Now that Siakam is a Pacer, there will be increased pressure on Barnes to develop into the type of star Toronto envisions, Lewenberg notes. “The goal is to help Scottie improve and get better every single day, every single night as a leader, as a franchise player and to build a roster around him that’s going to help him to grow,” head coach Darko Rajakovic said.
Turning the Raptors’ roster from its current state into one capable of contending for a title may be Masai Ujiri‘s biggest challenge since he was hired by the organization, says Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. The Raptors president acknowledged that he won’t be able to skip steps during the process. “I don’t know if to call this a rebuild or a reset or however we want to put it,” Ujiri said. “But a normal rebuild with other teams takes five [or] six years. Do we have the patience for that? You know? Like do we have the patience for three-to-five years building of our team? Some way, somehow we are going to have to have patience.”
After he traded popular Raptor DeMar DeRozan and fired head coach Dwane Casey following a Coach of the Year season, Ujiri earned a reputation for being a cold and calculated decision-maker. However, he hasn’t necessarily operated that way in recent years, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic, who considers whether the club would benefit from Ujiri being “a little colder” in his roster decisions.
The Raptors have assigned the newly acquired Lewis to the G League, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca. A player with at least three years of NBA service must give his consent to be assigned to the NBAGL, but Lewis approved multiple assignments to the Birmingham Squadron earlier this season in order to get more frequent playing time and it appears he’ll do the same with his new team.

Raptors’ Ujiri: More Trades “Definitely” Possible

January 18th, 2024 at 12:44pm CST by Rory Maher

The Raptors have made a pair of blockbuster trades in the past few weeks, dealing away longtime veteran forwards OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam for packages centered on young players and draft picks, respectively. They also acquired a valuable role player in swingman Bruce Brown, who is on a pseudo-expiring $22MM contract (2024/25 is a team option for $23MM).

Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Raptors vice chairman and president Masai Ujiri said more trades are “definitely” a possibility ahead of the February 8 deadline, as Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca relays (via Twitter). In particular, Ujiri highlighted shooting and flexibility as areas of emphasis, Murphy adds.

In a Twitter thread, Murphy passes along several noteworthy comments from Ujiri’s press conference addressing the trades, his close relationship with Siakam, the team’s plans for the future, and much more.

According to Murphy, Ujiri was “clearly quite emotional” when discussing the moves, which he called “incredibly difficult.”

“These things happen but that one is close to me,” he said. “I hate to go on this little rant, but what I think of the world globally, and what these guys represent, and where I come from, where they come from, it’s meant a lot to me. … Trust me, we’ve analyzed this in every single way.”

“Two African guys that won a championship, I share that with him,” Ujiri said of Siakam (Twitter video link via The Shift). “ … Again, I say to you guys, that guy’s success is my success no matter where he is.”

Ujiri wanted to give the previous roster as much time as it could, but it was trending in the wrong direction. He also cited free agency — both Anunoby and Siakam can be unrestricted free agents this summer — and a desire to get younger around Scottie Barnes as key factors in the moves, per Murphy.

Here’s more from Ujiri’s lengthy press conference:

Ujiri had nothing but praise for how Siakam carried himself and performed over the past year while dealing with trade rumors, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. “He handled it perfectly,” Ujiri said of Siakam. “I give him 100 out of 100. It has to be difficult, and I said that to him. … Nothing stopped him from coming to work everyday and trying to be the best he could be while he performed. We truly respect that.” However, Ujiri says he regrets how he handled things on his end during the offseason, Lewenberg adds (via Twitter). “I think the lines of communication in the summer were not that great. That part I’m not particularly proud of,” Ujiri said, adding that he apologized to Siakam.
When asked if he regretted not making more trades last season, Ujiri said he didn’t, citing a desire to give the 2022/23 team more chances to succeed. He also doesn’t second-guess himself about last year’s trade for Jakob Poeltl. “When you trade a first-round pick for a starting center in the NBA, in our business and for us, it’s good — for now and for the future,” Ujiri said, per Lewenberg (Twitter link). “I’m not going to sit here and cry over spilled milk. If it was a mistake, it was a mistake, but it was good value for us.”
Regarding Christian Koloko, whom the Raptors waived to create roster space for the latest deal, Ujiri said his medical status was in the hands of the NBA. Koloko has yet to play this season due to a respiratory issue. “We’ve exhausted all our options there,” Ujiri said (Twitter link via Murphy) “I can’t comment on particulars. It’s really unfortunate. … He was someone we really believed in. Incredible talent. We saw as the future of this team.“
The Raptors could have four picks in the 2024 draft, depending on what happens with their own first-rounder (it will be sent to San Antonio as part of the Poeltl deal if it lands outside the top six). They acquired the Pistons’ second-round pick in the Anunoby deal, plus two more 2024 first-rounders from Indiana that are projected to be in the latter portion of what’s considered a weak draft class. Ujiri “strongly doubts” that the Raptors will actually keep all of those picks, tweets Murphy.

Raptors Notes: Siakam, Barnes, Rajakovic, Quickley, Trent

January 11th, 2024 at 10:58pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Raptors forward Pascal Siakam‘s contract is set to expire after the season and, after the trade of OG Anunoby, it looked like he would be the next Toronto forward to be on the move. That may still be the case – the Raptors engaged in Siakam trade talks with the Kings last week – but an extension for the two-time All-Star seems increasingly plausible, according to The Athletic’s Eric Koreen.

Koreen and a few other writers at The Athletic sift through six hypothetical trade packages for Siakam to consider but conclude the uncertainty surrounding his willingness to extend with a team that trades for him could complicate matters. The Pacers, for example, have been heavily tied to Siakam but it’s unlikely Indiana would want to pay a high price, like Jarace Walker, for the former NBA champion without assurances he’d re-sign, John Hollinger writes. On the other hand, any package that doesn’t include Walker and Buddy Hield may not move the needle for Toronto.

Detroit and Brooklyn are two other teams in similar positions to Indiana and all three could outright pursue him in free agency if they desired. According to Koreen, the Mavericks, Warriors and Thunder are three teams able to put together deals that make the most sense. The Mavs could offer a combination of Grant Williams, Josh Green, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Olivier-Maxence Prosper in a potential deal while Luguentz Dort and Davis Bertans could headline a package from the Thunder, The Athletic’s staffers write.

For the Warriors in particular, any such deal is likely contingent on Jonathan Kuminga‘s inclusion. According to Anthony Slater, there’s been trade chatter on a substantial level between the two teams in recent weeks.

We have more from the Raptors:

Coach Darko Rajakovic made headlines this week when he blasted officiating after a loss to the Lakers, but he also turned heads when he called Scottie Barnes a “face of the league.” According to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange, Barnes appreciated the comment and sentiment. “It makes me feel great,” Barnes said. “I think it makes our team feel great as well. Good to have a coach that’s gonna stand behind our back no matter what. He doesn’t care, he’s gonna tell it like it is.“
Immanuel Quickley showcased a deep appreciation for his time in New York in an essay penned for The Players’ Tribune. “These things move so fast, it’s crazy that I’m already on the road with my new family,” Quickley writes. “But it wouldn’t be right to leave without saying a little something just to let y’all know that the love is mutual.” Quickley spent the first three-plus seasons of his career with the Knicks after being drafted by New York with the 25th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. In six games with the Raptors, he’s averaging 19.2 points and 6.2 assists.
Gary Trent Jr. is unbothered by trade rumors surrounding the Raptors, he reveals in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina, and he’s energized by Toronto’s recent acquisition of RJ Barrett and Quickley. “It’s exciting. It’s been fun,” Trent said. “Obviously, we still want to continue to figure it out. That’s everybody – myself, Scottie, Pascal, — we’re all dealing with adding players to our team that can help us and all try to mesh. It’s already been cool. I’ve known RJ and Quickley since we’ve been 15 years old. It’s already transpired as a full-circle moment. It’s crazy to come back and be a part of the same team with them.” I recommend checking out the one-on-one interview in full.

Raptors Notes: Barrett, Schröder, Rajakovic, Barnes

January 10th, 2024 at 9:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Now that RJ Barrett is back home in Toronto, he wants to inspire young Canadians who dream of someday playing in the NBA. In an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Barrett talked about the unique position that last month’s trade put him in as one of the most prominent players on the nation’s only NBA team.

“I am trying to let kids know that you can make it being from Canada and the area I’m from,” Barrett said. “Like the guys before me, watching Tristan (Thompson), Cory (Joseph), … (Andrew Wiggins), you can make it to the NBA. For me to make it to the NBA and come back home to play is special for me. I hope that all the kids see that … I want to show everyone how happy I am to be here and to help us win. That’s the main goal.”

Barrett admitted “there’s still a lot of learning going” on as he adjusts to his new team. He was caught off guard by the December 30 deal that sent him north of the border and he’s trying to adapt quickly to help the Raptors stay in the play-in race. He also said he’s proud of his time in New York and what he was able to accomplish with the Knicks.

“I helped build something in New York,” Barrett said. “When I came there we weren’t good. I left it a lot better than when it started. Definitely bittersweet, but I’m happy for those guys over there. They are happy about the trade they made and I wish nothing but the best for them. I grew up as a player and a person over there in New York. Those 4½ years, I will never forget.”

There’s more on the Raptors:

Dennis Schröder talked to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda about a variety of topics, including how the team has changed since the trade and the thrill of bringing a World Cup gold medal to Germany. Schröder also said he doesn’t mind being moved to a reserve role after starting for most of the season. “Either way, I still play 30 minutes (per game) like I did here (with the Lakers),” he said. “Wherever I can help just to impact the game and impact winning, I’ll do it. I think defensively, I’ll bring the energy. Offensively, I’ll be aggressive. I thought I could’ve been a little bit more aggressive (Tuesday against the Lakers). But at the end of the day, you watch film and have a breakfast meeting to get better. Then you move on.”
Eric Koreen of The Athletic looks at how the Raptors have evolved since the trade, noting that the roster changes have helped turn them into a higher-scoring team that’s much more fun to watch.
In tonight’s pregame session with reporters, coach Darko Rajakovic stood by his criticism of the officials following Tuesday’s loss, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet. Rajakovic also repeated his praise of Scottie Barnes, saying he shares traits with Hall of Famers that he’s coached in the past.