Raptors News: Team retiring its first jersey, is Scottie a star, team of legends

Is Scottie Barnes a superstar?

Scottie Barnes is clearly an ascending player in the Eastern Conference. He had a shockingly strong rookie season, narrowly winning Rookie of the Year over Evan Mobley, but then stagnated as a sophomore in the midst of a tumultuous season for the Raptors. Then last season he took that step forward, earning his first All-Star selection, but the team turned over completely around him and he missed the last six weeks of the season due to a fractured hand.

Where does Barnes rank among his peers? He probably enters the season as less than an All-Star lock, placing him outside the Top 25 players in the league. He is a solid ball-handler and playmaker, a good interior scorer and rebounder, and an inconsistent defender with sky-high potential. His shot is not yet a weapon and his off-ball impact is fairly mutued. He is, in other words, a budding two-way star who doesn't scale extremely well alongside other stars.

That likely means that for the Raptors to become a great team, they need Scottie Barnes to be great. He certainly can play alongside another star, but unless they are a special off-ball talent like Stephen Curry, it will mean diminishing returns pairing them with Barnes. If this iteration of the Raptors are going to make the leap, they need Barnes to make the leap.

Tom Ziller recently explored this reality on his excellent NBA substack newsletter, making a few interesting observations about Barnes. He sees him more as a small forward than a power forward, which has significant team-building implications moving forward. He then discussed potential trade targets for the team to pair with Barnes as Toronto determines their path forward.

His most potent conclusion? How Barnes develops plays a major role in where the Raptors go, and when. They have attached their team's success to this star, and he will blaze the trail to either mediocrity or dominance.