The Toronto Raptors got some brutal news Tuesday morning, as ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss a period of weeks due to swelling in his left knee. Sportsnet's Michael Grange followed up that report by indicating Leonard could miss at least the Raptors' next six games, including their upcoming West Coast road trip.
This is a massive blow for the Raptors, especially considering how poor this group looked Sunday against the Timberwolves when Leonard didn’t play. The biggest takeaway from that game was probably that Scottie Barnes performed so poorly and failed his first test as a No. 1 option with Leonard out. That can’t happen anymore. Barnes must be better and help keep this group's head above water as they wait for the Klaw’s return.
It’s time for Barnes to prove he can be a No. 1
The Raptors can’t afford to have any more games where Barnes goes without scoring a field goal, and his interest defensively wavers as much as it did against Anthony Edwards and the Wolves. To be fair, Leonard was a late scratch, and Barnes probably didn’t expect to be Minnesota's No. 1 defensive priority going into that game, but that was the situation he was in, and he failed. What made that failure even more disappointing was watching the way RJ Barrett and Ja’Kobe Walter were better prepared to step up and fill that Leonard void than Barnes was.
This stretch without Leonard could be season-defining not just for the Raptors, but also for Barnes. We’ve heard Leonard continue to reiterate since arriving that this is Barnes’ team, and Darko Rajakovic has echoed that same sentiment. So Scottie, it’s time to show everyone that’s the truth.
We saw what Barnes as the sole No. 1 option can look like in the playoffs, and while it is super early in this new season, the Raptors' backs are against the wall, and they need that version of Barnes. In four regular season games without Brandon Ingram last season, Barnes averaged 22.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 10.8 assists, and 2.0 stocks (steals plus blocks) per game while shooting 36.4 percent from three. That’s the version of him this team needs during this stretch without Leonard.
Barnes needs to realize that even on nights where his shot isn’t falling, like against the Wolves, he needs to keep shooting, because if this team is going to stay afloat, they need him in that 20-plus shots per game range without Leonard.
This next stretch for the Raptors isn’t easy either: over the next six, the Raptors see the Magic twice at home, with the Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, and the Bucks all on the road. Obviously, it’s going to take several players stepping up, but the most important player will remain Scottie Barnes.
Although his track record suggests he can step up and be a No. 1 option when he needs to be, Sunday against Minnesota definitely wasn’t super convincing. Leonard missing time was always in the cards, but few expected it to come this early and for Barnes' franchise-player status to be challenged this soon. Just four games into the new season, that test is here, so get your popcorn.
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