4 Toronto Raptors who are playing for their future in Canada

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 8: Fred VanVleet #23 and Malachi Flynn #22 of the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 8: Fred VanVleet #23 and Malachi Flynn #22 of the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Raptors, Will Barton
DENVER, CO – MARCH 6: Will Barton #1 of the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

3. Will Barton

Barton has nothing guaranteed in the NBA beyond this season. While he was let go by Washington, the fact that he signed with Toronto over a rival like the Celtics just may go to show that he is not in a position where the rest of the league views him as an elite bench piece anymore.

Barton’s performance with the Raptors has been mixed at best, as he has yet to score in double-digits and appears to have been related to a role as a spot-up shooter for 12 minutes every night. Barton might be able to kickstart his NBA career with a strong finish to the season.

Can Will Barton remain with the Toronto Raptors?

This team needs shooting in the worst way, and they will likely gear their offseason strategy around the expectation of adding more talent from beyond the arc. If Toronto is going to add perimeter players, why not take a look at someone who has already been in town?

Barton mentioned that he has a strong connection with assistant coach Earl Watson, whom he became friendly with during the early days of his career in Portland. We’ll see if that connection is strong enough to earn him a second contract north of the border.