The Toronto Raptors reportedly made Scottie Barnes untouchable in trade talks revolving around Kevin Durant and Damien Lillard.
The Toronto Raptors made Scottie Barnes ‘untouchable’ in trade discussions involving Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard, per @ZachLowe_NBA pic.twitter.com/hKBmgNyt7W
— SleeperNBA (@SleeperNBA) October 17, 2023
The Raptors were a team to watch in the Damian Lillard sweepstakes as they were in need of a point guard, but it seemed like Scottie Barnes was a key piece for the Blazers to get back if a deal was made. Barnes is now entering his third season in the NBA and it feels like he’s been here for a while now. Barnes has already shown why he was the 4th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Many thought it was a reach for the Raptors to pass up on the likes of Jalen Suggs, Josh Giddey, or Jonathan Kuminga. Now it seems like they dodged a bullet as Suggs has not been it and Kuminga is just now coming into his own after not seeing that much playing time with Golden State. The argument can be made, however, for Josh Giddey. He is a walking triple double almost every night and has been a key piece in Oklahoma City.
Barnes won the Rookie of the Year and averaged 15.3 points 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. His sophomore season dipped efficiency wise. His average points per game stayed exactly the same and his assists went up. Barnes will look to be at least the number two scoring option behind Pascal Siakam now with Fred Van Vleet now in Houston.
The Toronto Raptors are +4000 to win the Atlantic Division according to offshore sportsbooks.
The Raptors are expecting big things from the Florida State product. Who knows, the team may not be that great and might ship off Siakam at the deadline so they can build around Barnes and their young core.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
