Predicting the Raptors perfect starting lineup after a home run offseason

Power Forward: Scottie Barnes

There is only one stone-cold, absolute lock on this list, and that is Scottie Barnes at power forward. RJ Barrett could theoretically get traded, and Immanuel Quickley is technically a free agent. Scottie Barnes, however, is now the face of the franchise and will be starting at the 4 on Opening Night this October.

Barnes has blossomed as a player who can excel with the ball in his hands. He increased his scoring to 19.9 points per game and added 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists and an unfathomable 2.5 combined STOCKs (steals and blocks). The largest concern with Barnes coming out of Florida State was that he would never be anything other than an abysmal shooter. He is no Stephen Curry, but he improved his 3-point shooting to 34.1 percent on solid volume this past year and his free-throw shooting to 78.1 percent.

This stat is not unfamiliar to Toronto fans, but the only players to ever hit 1.3 steals, 1.5 blocks and 1.7 3-pointers in a single season are DeMarcus Cousins, Robert Horry and Scottie Barnes. If you add in the scoring it knocks off Horry, and the passing knocks off Cousins. What Barnes is doing on a basketball court combines an elite defensive role player with a powerful on-ball scorer and playmaker, and that's a truly special player indeed.

Building the Raptors from here means building around Scottie Barnes and his strengths and weaknesses. Only 22 years old, Barnes will be eligible to sign a rookie extension this summer and Toronto will almost certainly offer him the max to tie him to this team for a very long time.