3 reasons for hope in 2023 after Raptors botch Damian Lillard trade
By Mike Luciano
2. Scottie Barnes’ development
Be it his genuine plan or the result of getting PR talking points drilled into his skull every single day since he was hired, Rajakovic has been very vocal and firm about his desire to make Barnes one of the focal points of the offense following a somewhat disappointing second season.
The improvements Barnes made as a defender, playmaker, and overall leader were overshadowed by the fact that he flatlined as a scorer and failed to make improvements as a shooter. Rajakovic isn’t going to give him a ton of time to get comfortable. Into the thick of things you go!
Scottie Barnes will become a stud for the Toronto Raptors.
If Rajakovic can coax even a small improvement in Barnes’ 3-point shooting, playing Barnes in a prominent on-ball role could be all that he needs to step on the proverbial gas pedal. With Barnes looking much stronger at Media Day, he could present a very unique physical challenge.
The Raptors seem willing to go down with the Barnes ship, even if means they have to part ways with some of their more established names. While that’s a tall task, Raptors fans know he will be more than capable of answering the call based on his raw physical talent alone.