Raptors: Grading Scottie Barnes and the rookies after preseason

David Johnson

Johnson was signed to a two-way deal, meaning that Toronto believes that he needs some time in Mississauga before he can get consistent NBA minutes. While his time at Louisville was certainly impressive, the preseason made it clear he has to tweak some things in order to become a consistent NBA presence.

While Banton and Barnes got tons of heavy minutes, Johnson didn’t even play in two games. In just 8.4 minutes per game, he averaged 2.3 points per contest on 33% shooting while turning the ball over 1.4 times per game. Extrapolated out to 36 minutes, that’s six turnovers per game.

Toronto Raptors rookie David Johnson needs development time.

Johnson’s performance isn’t concerning with regards to his long-term future, as it’s hard to make snap judgments about his NBA outlook based on a handful of minutes. However, considering that he was billed as the best shooter of the three draft choices, struggling with the jumper in Summer League and preseason action is a little worrisome.

There will be better days in the future for Johnson, as he looked sharp as a ball-handler during his preseason stint. However, the shot still isn’t falling, and he might benefit from a consistent diet of minutes down in the G League in order to correct those issues.

Grade: C-