If Scottie Barnes becomes a reliable 3-point shooter like he seems on his way to doing, and his defense remains as impressive as it has been to start the season, will there suddenly be an argument that Barnes is the most versatile player in the NBA?
Think about it; Nikola Jokic is still the best player in the game, but has never been a switchable defender. Giannis might be the most dominant when locked in, but the outside shot has never been a big part of his repertoire. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a real case, as do Jayson Tatum, Pascal Siakam, and Victor Wembanyama (who might own every accolade within a few years).
But Barnes, at the very least, has the tools to put his name in this conversation, and those tools are translating more directly to results right now than ever before. We know he can be a 20-plus point scorer, I don't see any reason why he can't average over 8 rebounds per game, and the playmaking gets a little better every year. When this Raptors team finally clicks, it might be Scottie's playmaking that allows the click to happen.
Scottie Barnes is impressive in all aspects
The most frustrating part of Scottie Barnes' development to this point has been when he starts to excel at one skill... And then a different skill seems to deteriorate. But in 2025-26, all of his traits are working in perfect synchrony, and it's a beautiful sight to see.
In theory, there's nothing Scottie Barnes shouldn't be good at, and that's a rare thing to see in today's NBA. If that ends up being the case, and Barnes' continuously puts together games in which he's the Raptors leading scorer, best defender, best playmaker, and best rebounder, then he'll quickly elevate to a new tier in the NBA.
The good folks at CraftedNBA give Barnes a 92nd percentile versatility rating and a 92nd percentile "portability" rating, which is the projection of how a player would function if on the court with four random players.
Now with the most talented team around him since 2022-23, Barnes has his best chance yet to be that versatile connector the front office envisioned him being years ago.
LeBron's reign as most versatile player in the NBA might be ending
This hasn't even been a discussion for about 15-plus years. LeBron's unprecedented mix of athleticism, grace, passing, finishing, ball handling, basketball genius, and defensive instincts have caused him to be the most versatile player in NBA history, not just the contemporary NBA.
The only reason he's not the clear choice anymore (even though, honestly, you can probably still make a case for him here) is that he's 40!