Toronto Raptors Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Scottie Barnes Expected To Miss Several Weeks Due To Ankle Injury

December 11th, 2024 at 9:56am CST by Luke Adams

9:56am: The Raptors have confirmed that Barnes’ right ankle injury is a sprain and have announced he’ll be reevaluated in one week. The press release from the team doesn’t provide a specific timeline for the forward’s return to the court.

9:26am: Raptors forward Scottie Barnes is expected to miss “several” weeks as a result of the right ankle injury he sustained on Monday, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Barnes injured his ankle in the third quarter of a home loss to the Knicks when he contested a Karl-Anthony Towns shot attempt near the basket — the two players got tangled up and Towns came down on Barnes’ foot (video link). The 2022 Rookie of the Year fell to the floor in obvious pain and was helped off the court by teammates before hopping to the locker room, unable to put weight on his right foot.

According to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link), Barnes was in a walking boot on Tuesday and was expected to undergo more imaging on the injury, initially diagnosed as a right ankle sprain, with the Raptors expected to provide an update on Wednesday. I’d expect that formal update from the team will come soon, but Charania’s report makes it clear that Barnes is facing an extended absence.

It’ll be the second lengthy layoff already this season for Barnes, who missed 11 games over three-plus weeks in October and November due to a right orbital fracture.

Barnes has been extremely effective when healthy, averaging career highs in points (20.6), rebounds (8.4), and assists (7.4) per game in 14 outings (33.2 MPG). The Raptors have been more competitive when the 23-year-old has been available, going 5-9 with him and 2-9 without him this fall.

It’s a rebuilding season for Toronto, so Barnes’ absence isn’t the same sort of setback it would be for a team with championship or playoff aspirations — in fact, it might ultimately benefit the franchise in the long run if it helps the Raptors’ draft position. Still, it’s a disappointing development for a team that still hasn’t had a chance to see two of its cornerstone players – Barnes and Immanuel Quickley – play together this season.

Another extended absence will also have major financial implications for Barnes, who is now on track to fall short of the 65-game threshold in 2024/25, making him ineligible for end-of-season awards, such as All-NBA.

Given the Raptors’ place in the standings, an All-NBA nod was probably a long shot for Barnes anyway, but missing out on that honor will ensure that his maximum-salary rookie extension begins at 25% of the salary cap next season instead of 30%. That means it’ll be worth a projected $224MM over five years instead of $269MM.

Barnes’ injury will result in more offensive responsibilities for RJ Barrett and Gradey Dick, with Jonathan Mogbo, Chris Boucher, and Jamison Battle among the candidates for increased roles. Bruce Brown, who should make his season debut soon after undergoing offseason knee surgery, should also help fill the hole created by Barnes’ absence.

Raptors Notes: Carton, Barrett, Quickley

December 10th, 2024 at 5:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Injuries apparently played a role in the Raptors decision to waive two-way player D.J. Carton.

With Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and Bruce Brown dealing with injuries, Toronto wanted to add depth. Carton couldn’t provide that in the short run because he’s expected to miss the next three-to-four weeks with an ankle injury of his own, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

It’s possible that Carton will be re-signed at some point, Scotto adds.

We have more on the Raptors:

While the team awaits an update on Barnes, who injured his right ankle and foot against the Knicks on Monday, RJ Barrett will have to ramp up his production in Barnes’ absence, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes. Barrett wound up with 30 points, eight rebounds and four assists against his former team, and did his best to get the Raptors good looks in crunch time, Koreen notes. However, after this season Barrett could see a much different role if the Raptors get a high lottery pick who commands a high percentage of the offense.
In an extensive interview with Michael Grange of Sportsnet, Barrett says that playing for coach Darko Rajakovic has been a boon for his career. “He’s very, you know, straight to the point, but very encouraging, very encouraging. He believes in me,” Barrett said. “Whenever a coach has that spirit, you want to run through a wall for him.” Barrett still has two years and over $57MM remaining on his contract but that might be considered a relative bargain with the way he’s expanded his game since he was acquired from the Knicks.
Quickley had more imaging done on his injured left elbow that has kept him out since Nov. 10, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. He’s progressing, per the Raptors, but he still hasn’t been cleared to ramp up or practice. There’s still no timeline for his return.

Raptors Waive D.J. Carton

December 10th, 2024 at 11:34am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have waived guard D.J. Carton, the team announced today in a press release. Carton had been on a two-way contract with Toronto.

An undrafted free agent out of Marquette in 2021, Carton began his professional career by playing in the G League and didn’t get a shot with an NBA team during the regular season until this past February, when the Raptors signed him to a 10-day contract. Toronto brought him back on a two-year, two-way deal after that initial contract expired.

Across parts of two seasons with the Raptors, Carton has appeared in eight NBA games, logging just 69 total minutes. The 6’3″ guard has compiled 14 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals with a .267/.143/.833 shooting line during his limited NBA minutes while continuing to play a significant role in the G League when healthy.

Carton averaged 16.3 PPG, 7.0 APG, and 4.7 RPG in three outings for the Raptors 905 this fall, but has battled foot and ankle issues since joining the club, notes Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter links).

According to Murphy, the Timberwolves control Carton’s G League rights, so if he opts to return to the NBAGL after clearing waivers, the Iowa Wolves would get the first shot at him.

Toronto is now one of just two NBA teams with an open two-way slot — Orlando is the other, as our tracker shows.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Sims, Barrett, Towns

December 10th, 2024 at 8:01am CST by Luke Adams

Jalen Brunson‘s scoring average is down from his career high of 28.7 points per game in 2023/24 to 25.2 PPG through his first 24 games this season, but the Knicks star is otherwise playing even better than he did a year ago, when he finished fifth in MVP voting, contends James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

Brunson’s shooting percentages are up to 49.6% from the floor and a career-best 43.2% on three-pointers. And perhaps most notably, he’s averaging a career-high 7.8 assists per game. That can be attributed in part to playing with another elite scorer and shooter like Karl-Anthony Towns and in part to Brunson’s improving ability to deal with defenses that have employed blitzes, hedges, and double-teams in an effort to slow him down.

“It’s been happening a lot more recently,” Brunson said of that defensive pressure. “I’ve always worked on stuff like that. I just like to trust my reads and my instincts.”

If Brunson continues to play like he has so far, he figures to show up on plenty of MVP ballots again in the spring, but he and head coach Tom Thibodeau are more focused on making sure the Knicks continue to generate efficient shots and win games. New York’s offensive rating is an NBA-best 121.0 and the team continues to move up the standings in the Eastern Conference, sitting at 15-9 after a win over Toronto last night.

“(Brunson)’s 10, 11 (assists) every night now,” Thibodeau said on Monday, per Edwards. “He’s creating a lot of good offense for us. Everyone shares in that responsibility. Read the game and don’t hold on to the ball too long. If you’re open, I want you to shoot. If you’re not open, I don’t want you to overdribble, either. Just read what they’re doing. When you have players who play for each other and play unselfishly, you’re going to get high-percentage shots from that.”

We have more on the Knicks:

After playing just three minutes on Thursday and six on Saturday, Jericho Sims was a DNP-CD on Monday in Toronto for the first time this season, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. As Bondy notes, Sims has played strong defense for the Knicks this fall, but looked lost on offense in his previous two outings. As long as Precious Achiuwa is available, Sims may not be a regular part of Thibodeau’s rotation.
Raptors forward RJ Barrett, who faced his former team on Monday nearly a year after being traded from New York to Toronto, told reporters that he wasn’t shocked when he was moved: “You can tell when you’re treated a certain way.” As Bondy observes, Barrett’s shot attempts and scoring average declined during his final year with the Knicks as he became a third option on offense behind Brunson and Julius Randle. “Lots of stuff (gave me that vibe that I was going to be traded). Lots of stuff,” Barrett said. “I think I just got a vibe, kind of figured. I wasn’t really too surprised when it happened.”
John Calipari, who coached Towns at Kentucky, helped the former Wildcat get over the initial shock of being traded from Minnesota to New York earlier this fall, as Bondy details in a separate New York Post story. “First of all, you’re surprised when you’re an All-Star and you’re traded. And then the second thing is, you’re going to be hurt,” Calipari said. “Why did they do it? Why would they do it? And in the end, that’s why I told him, ‘Please, (the Knicks) are perfect for you. Don’t worry about all the other stuff. Move on. … No looking back. You’re not bitter. You’re on to the next thing.'”

Raptors Star Scottie Barnes Suffers Right Ankle Injury

December 9th, 2024 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Raptors star Scottie Barnes exited Monday’s game against the Knicks with what the team called a right ankle sprain, according to ESPN’s News Services. However, there is concern that the injury to his right ankle and foot could be more severe.

Barnes was helped off the court by teammates before hopping to the locker room, unable to put weight on his right foot. The injury occurred when he contested Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns‘s shot during the third quarter and Towns came down on Barnes’ foot near the basket (video link).

Initial X-rays were negative, according to head coach Darko Rajakovic, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. However, it’s anticipated Barnes will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. He’ll be reevaluated on Tuesday morning, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet adds (via Twitter).

Barnes has already missed 11 games this season due a right orbital fracture. He entered the game averaging 21 points, 8.7 rebounds and 7.8 assists per contest.

Barnes signed a five-year max extension and the contract’s value would increase if he made an All-NBA team this season. However, another extended absence would extinguish any chance of that happening due to the 65-game rule.

Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Achiuwa, Towns, Payne, Robinson

December 9th, 2024 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

OG Anunoby isn’t sure what sort of reaction to expect as he prepares for his first game in Toronto since being traded last December, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Anunoby was injured when the Knicks traveled to Canada in March, so tonight will mark his official return in front of Raptors fans.

Anunoby is putting up career-best scoring numbers in his first full season in New York, averaging 17.7 points per game while shooting 49% from the field and 38.2% from three-point range. After playing his first six-and-a-half seasons in Toronto, he is firmly established as part of the Knicks’ foundation, signing a five-year, $212.5MM contract during the offseason.

“It’ll be great to see my friends, the staff, and just the people of Canada,” Anunoby said.

Precious Achiuwa, who came to the Knicks in the same trade, already had his return game in Toronto, posting 19 points and 12 rebounds in a victory last season. Achiuwa has only played two games since coming back from a hamstring injury that he suffered during the preseason, but he was able to log 26 minutes and grab 10 rebounds Saturday night.

“He made a big impact, and I’m not surprised,” Anunoby said. “That’s what he’s always done. He’s a really talented player, a special player, who can do a lot at both ends. The more opportunities he gets, the more he’ll thrive. So it’s not surprising.”

There’s more on the Knicks:

The team isn’t sure about the status of Karl-Anthony Towns or Cameron Payne, who are both listed as questionable for tonight after missing Saturday’s game, Botte adds. Towns was a late scratch due to right knee patellar tendinopathy, while Payne is dealing with a left elbow effusion.
Josh Hart cites early-game “lulls” as the reason the team has been falling behind recently, Botte states in a separate story. The Knicks were able to overcome deficits against Orlando and Charlotte last week, but they couldn’t do it again Saturday against Detroit after falling behind by 16 points. Several players pointed to miscommunication on defense as the Pistons scored 39 points in the first quarter. “I think communication is the biggest thing. A lot of transition, just no communication, just not talking to each other,” Mikal Bridges said. “And it’s not like we don’t like each other or anything. It’s just that sense of urgency, trying to help each other out. And we ain’t trying to do it on purpose or be a bad person. We’ve just gotta be better. We’ve just gotta be able to talk. We’ve gotta build that.”
Coach Tom Thibodeau provided a brief medical update on Mitchell Robinson, saying the injured center is making “good, steady progress” in his return from offseason ankle surgery (Twitter video link from SNY).

Raptors Notes: Olynyk, Brown, Quickley, Mogbo, Rhoden

December 8th, 2024 at 10:16am CST by Rory Maher

After missing the first 21 games of the season with a back injury, Raptors big man Kelly Olynyk made his season debut in Saturday’s loss to Dallas, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Olynyk explained that his back unexpectedly tightened up after a training camp practice, and it took six weeks for him to recover.

“Playing basketball is what I love to do,” Olynyk said of finally returning to the lineup. “So you know, whenever you get to wake up and play basketball, it’s a great day. Obviously, it took a lot longer than I wanted, probably the team wanted, everybody wanted, but those kind of things happen. You’ve got to take your time. You can’t rush it, but it’s nice to get back out there and get into the flow of things.”

The 33-year-old forward/center had an excellent night, recording 13 points, four rebounds and two steals in 14 minutes without missing a shot (3-of-3 on three-pointers, 4-of-4 on free throws).

Here’s more on the Raptors, mostly from Grange:

Bruce Brown appears to be close behind Olynyk in making his own season debut after undergoing offseason knee surgery, with Grange saying the veteran swingman “should be back any time.” Long viewed as a trade candidate, Brown is on an expiring $23MM contract.
Immanuel Quickley‘s return to action does not appear to be imminent, however. According to Grange, there’s still no recovery timeline for the 25-year-old, who sustained a torn ligament in his left elbow on November 10.
As Grange writes, despite losing to Dallas, Toronto had some impressive performances from its young players, with head coach Darko Rajakovic singling out rookie forward Jonathan Mogbo for the “awesome” job he did defending Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. “Jonathan’s super versatile. He can guard one through five,” said Olynk. “ … So that’s really exciting, and he can rebound, he can run, he can put the ball on the floor and handle it a little bit. He made some shots today. As he continues to develop that three-point shot, it’s going to be, obviously, big for him and for us, but he has that athletic ability around the rim. He caught a lob today that looked like he got boosted in the air. It was unbelievable. But you know, his skill set will definitely, I think, complement mine, and mine will complement his. So looking forward to that.” The 31st pick of June’s draft, Mogbo finished with eight points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks in 21 minutes.
Third-year guard Jared Rhoden spent training camp with Toronto on an Exhibit 10 contract, but was waived before the season began. Charlotte claimed him off waivers and converted him to a two-way deal, but he was recently cut by the Hornets to make room for Isaiah Wong. According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link), Rhoden will join Toronto’s G League affiliate, the Raptors 905, which controls his returning player rights, but the team will have to release someone to make room for him.

And-Ones: Team USA, Practice Facility, Trade Deadline, Panic Meter

December 7th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

With Steve Kerr not expected to return as Team USA’s head coach for the upcoming international basketball cycle that includes the 2027 FIBA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, USA Basketball and managing director Grant Hill will be tasked with selecting Kerr’s successor.

According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, Hill has yet to begin the process of selecting the next U.S. head coach and is unlikely to name Kerr’s replacement anytime soon, since it would create several years of “unnecessary pressure” on that individual leading up to the 2027 and 2028 events, a source tells Vardon.

Still, it looks like there are two obvious frontrunners for the job, Vardon says, identifying Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue as the most logical candidates. Outside of their NBA résumés, which include championships, Spoelstra and Lue were the top assistants on Kerr’s staff in Paris during the 2024 Olympics. Both men indicated they’d be honored to be selected for the role, Vardon writes.

“I’d be willing to do anything for USA Basketball,” Spoelstra said. “That’s how it should be for anybody, for players and for staff members, if you’re asked. It’s such an honor and such a life experience, so you just do it. You don’t want to miss out on those experiences. And I would do any role.”

“Yeah, it sounds amazing,” Lue added. “To be the Olympic head coach in this building (the Clippers’ Intuit Dome), of course, everybody would look at that as a cool opportunity, but there’s a lot that goes into it. To be chosen to do that is an honor and a blessing, but it’s not something I’m hanging my hat on because it’s two years away and Spo was involved in USA Basketball before I even got here.”

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

There has been a clear trend over the last decade of NBA teams seeking a competitive edge by building new, state-of-the-art practice facilities, with 20 of the league’s 30 clubs opening new facilities since 2014, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Robbins explores the “unrelenting contest of innovation and one-upmanship” involved in the “arms race,” with teams across the league looking to create advantages in the way they look after players and recruit free agents. “I would say if the standard of the facility is high-end, the players better be too,” Magic big man Moritz Wagner said when asked if a new practice facility can help a team win games. “I do think that the players feel that. I mean, there’s no excuse, right? There’s no excuse not to work every day when you have a place like that.”
How should the NBA’s 30 teams approach this season’s trade deadline? Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report digs into that topic, making a case for whether each club should buy, sell, or hold — or, in some cases, a combination of more than one. For instance, Pincus advocates for the Hawks, Spurs, Raptors, and Hornets to pursue “opportunistic improvement” rather than purely selling.
Law Murray of The Athletic rates a handful of teams on the “panic meter,” explaining that he thinks the Pacers and Pelicans have more reason to panic than the Lakers because L.A. has finished in play-in territory in each of the past two seasons and shouldn’t realistically expect to be much better than they’ve been so far this fall.

Atlantic Notes: Barnes, Raptors, Embiid, Knicks’ Offense

December 5th, 2024 at 9:54pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Raptors are playing their best basketball of the season when star Scottie Barnes is on the floor, Sportsnet.ca’s Michael Grange writes. This season looked like an opportunity for Toronto to potentially bottom out and add a lottery prospect to a young core that includes Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick and Ja’Kobe Walter, but Barnes’ excellence is making that difficult.

Entering Thursday, Toronto had won five of their last eight games with Barnes in the lineup, trending up despite still holding a 7-16 record. Barnes was again deadly against the Pacers on Tuesday, finishing as a plus-18 in his 36 minutes. Part of that success stems from the chemistry Barnes is building with fellow forward RJ Barrett, Grange writes.

“When we’re both being aggressive, we’re both getting downhill, we’re both pushing the pace, finding each other in transition, it pays off really well,” Barnes said. “Our games complement each other really well, we’re finding each other with that space we’re able to create and play off that.”

While there’s plenty of time remaining in the regular season for movement up and down the standings, the Raptors are just two games behind the Pacers for the No. 10 seed and the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Despite a rough start to the season, Toronto’s energy has been high all year thanks in part to a summer getaway that set the tone for the season, Eric Koreen of The Athletic details. “We were vibing. We were just vibing, having a good time,” Fernando said of the team’s trips to Spain and Miami this offseason. “We would definitely wake up first thing in the morning for workouts.” While the Raptors aren’t happy to have a losing record, Koreen writes that they understand that the team is a work in progress and is cognizant of their youth. Veterans have helped establish a culture and young players like Jamal Shead and Jonathan Mogbo expressed gratitude for their early career playing time. “I feel like we’re more together than teams that I’ve been on where we had a really good record,” newcomer Davion Mitchell said.
Sixers superstar Joel Embiid (left knee injury management) is set to miss his seventh straight game, having been ruled out for Friday’s game against Orlando, according to PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck (Twitter link). Adem Bona was also ruled out while Andre Drummond, who missed the past two games, has been upgraded to questionable. Bona played on Wednesday with Embiid and Drummond out, but he was the only player 6’10” or taller to see action for the club. Philadelphia started Guerschon Yabusele and KJ Martin amid its frontcourt injuries.
The Knicks led the NBA with a 121.0 offensive rating heading into Thursday’s tilt against the Hornets, Peter Botte of the New York Post observes. Tom Thibodeau‘s team has consistently been effective on offense during his tenure, but New York has never had a league-best offense since the NBA started tracking points per 100 possessions. The Knicks’ five starters are averaging a collective 97.8 points per game and top reserve Miles McBride is adding a career-best 11.3 points per game.

Knockout Round Matchups Set For NBA Cup; Games Scheduled For Non-Quarterfinalists

December 4th, 2024 at 6:27am CST by Luke Adams

Following the conclusion of the group play games in the NBA Cup on Tuesday, the eight teams advancing to the knockout round have been set, and the quarterfinal games have been scheduled.

After the Warriors, Rockets, and Hawks previously clinched spots in the knockout round, the Thunder, Mavericks, Bucks, Knicks, and Magic joined them as a result of Tuesday’s outcomes. The quarterfinal matchups are as follows, per the NBA (Twitter links):

Eastern Conference:

Orlando Magic (No. 4) at Milwaukee Bucks (No. 1): Tuesday, December 10 (7 pm ET)
Atlanta Hawks (No. 3) at New York Knicks (No. 2): Wednesday, December 11 (7 pm ET)

Western Conference:

Dallas Mavericks (No. 4) at Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 1): Tuesday, December 10 (9:30 pm ET)
Golden State Warriors (No. 3) at Houston Rockets (No. 2): Wednesday, December 11 (9:30 pm ET)

While those four games will be played in the home team’s arena, the winners will advance to a neutral site for the final four. The semifinals (Dec. 14) and final (Dec. 17) will be held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The quarterfinal and semifinal results will count toward each team’s regular season record, whereas the final won’t. A team that loses in the quarterfinals will play the other quarterfinal loser in its conference in newly scheduled regular season games to make sure those clubs get the full 82.

Meanwhile, the 22 teams who did not advance to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup have each had two regular season games added to their initial 80 to fill that mid-December gap on their schedules.

Here are the newly added games for those clubs, according to the league (Twitter link):

Thursday, December 12:

Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics (7:30 pm ET)
Toronto Raptors at Miami Heat (7:30 pm ET)
Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans (8 pm ET)

Friday, December 13:

Washington Wizards at Cleveland Cavaliers (7 pm ET)
Indiana Pacers at Philadelphia 76ers (7 pm ET)
Los Angeles Lakers at Minnesota Timberwolves (8 pm ET)
Brooklyn Nets at Memphis Grizzlies (8 pm ET)
Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls (8 pm ET)
Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets (9 pm ET)
Phoenix Suns at Utah Jazz (9:30 pm ET)
San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers (10 pm ET)

Sunday, December 15:

New Orleans Pelicans at Indiana Pacers (5 pm ET)
Boston Celtics at Washington Wizards (6 pm ET)
Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs (7 pm ET)
Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns (8 pm ET)
Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers (9:30 pm ET)

Monday, December 16:

Philadelphia 76ers at Charlotte Hornets (7 pm ET)
Miami Heat at Detroit Pistons (7 pm ET)
Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors (7:30 pm ET)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Brooklyn Nets (7:30 pm ET)
Denver Nuggets at Sacramento Kings (10 pm ET)
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 pm ET)