The Toronto Raptors have revisited the most successful chapter in franchise history by trading for former Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. In the process, they’ve finally given Scottie Barnes the opportunity to play alongside a true No. 1 scoring option.
Though the Leonard trade is significant on multiple fronts, how it helps Barnes may be most important of all.
Barnes has a strong case for being the most complete player in the NBA with his balanced offensive skill set and elite defensive versatility. With as much responsibility as he shoulders, the Raptors’ most logical path to success has long been to find a true go-to scoring option to take over in late-game situations when Barnes’ responsibilities lead him elsewhere.
Leonard is about as great as any option to fill that role. He’s an elite scorer who can produce efficiently at all three levels and has a proven track record in late-game situations and even big postseason outings.
If the Raptors can stay healthy, then Leonard will be the exact type of player they need to make it easier for Barnes to pace himself through games.
Kawhi Leonard is the true No. 1 scorer Scottie Barnes needed
Barnes fits an archetype of players who offer remarkable balance in their production and role. Peak versions of LeBron James and Scottie Pippen are perhaps the greatest examples of the individuals who create for others, crash the boards, and defend opposing teams’ best players while still being tasked with volume scoring responsibilities.
The common thread between their combined 10 championships was that their respective front offices paired them with a top-tier scorer in both volume and skill level.
For Pippen, it was the incomparable Michael Jordan and his record 10 scoring titles. For James, it was Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Dwyane Wade—all of whom boast elite scoring skill sets and have averaged at least 25.0 points per game during a season in which they went to the NBA Finals.
It’s not that James and Pippen couldn’t score, of course. Instead, it was a matter of taking some kind of pressure off of the do-it-all forwards whose legs were far more likely to grow heavy by the fourth quarter than those who do less on the court than them.
Thankfully, Leonard’s generational scoring proficiency qualifies him to offer the exact type of support Barnes has needed the Raptors to find.
That’s certain to help Barnes find his own ideal opportunities to score, as well. He’s certainly capable. With a peak average of 19.9 points per game, however, it was simply important to match knowledge with needs and put ego to the side on the roster building front.
Thankfully, with Barnes and Leonard, the Raptors finally have lead star balance they need.
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