Time for Barnes to shut it down
As is his nature, Scottie Barnes didn’t exactly provide any clarity on a possible return to the court.
If one were to parse his words, one gets the impression the Raptors have seen the last of their anointed franchise face, which is a good thing.
The way things have been going for this depleted roster, there’s no point for Barnes to even bother coming back for any of the team’s remaining 16 games as the Raptors find themselves 20 games under .500 with more losses to follow.
To begin with, the Raptors aren’t going anywhere other than the draft lottery.
It was at the draft lottery in 2021 when the ping pong balls dropped in Toronto’s favour, a fortuitous turn of events that moved the Raptors from the seventh slot into the fourth draft position.
With the pick came Barnes in the same draft class that would see the Detroit Pistons select Cade Cunningham with the first overall pick.
Each player has emerged as the go-to options for their respective teams, two highlyskilled youngsters whose games have some similarities.
Cunningham has the ball in his hands on virtually every offensive set given his position as Detroit’s incumbent point guard.
He has a more consistent three-point shot and his handle in the half court is much more refined.
Barnes sees the floor exceptionally well and has a post game that can be unstoppable.
Either way, the Raptors and Pistons have a legitimate building block in Barnes and Cunningham, respectively.
The two teams met Wednesday night in Motown as Detroit beat the Raptors for the second consecutive time at home to claim the season series, 2-1.
Cunningham was on the floor directing Detroit’s offence, while Barnes was in street clothes encouraging his teammates from the bench.
It was during Toronto’s four-game trip when Barnes rejoined the team after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture in the third metacarpal bone in his left or nonshooting hand.
Whether it was taking his team out for dinner, cheering for his teammates, providing a shoulder to lean on, Barnes has tried to remain engaged.
“Hopefully I can get back out there,’’ Barnes told reporters in Detroit at the Raptors’ morning shootaround.
“I’m trying to help out in any way possible.”
There’s always, in theory, the possibility of Barnes returning to the floor.
In reality, it makes no sense. He’s not about to make a definitive decision, but logic dictates he remains inactive, allowing the Raptors to audition players who would normally be buried on the bench.
Ideally, the next time Barnes will be on the court will arrive later this spring when he showcases his talents for the United States.
USA Basketball’s men’s player pool for the Paris Olympics features Barnes.
He has a better chance of competing in Paris than he does suiting up for the Raptors this season.
The naming of the pool is the first official phase in the process of assembling a 12-player Olympic roster to be coached by Golden State’s Steve Kerr and assisted by Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Tyronn Lue and Gonzaga’s Mark Few.
Barnes is a very unique player given his skill set and size.
The knock is that he is far from being a consistent threepoint shooter, which is much coveted in the international game.
The fact he’ll be with some of the best in the game should help Barnes as he continues to evolve.
Given the state of Toronto’s roster, there’s nothing Barnes could gain by even contemplating to play again this season.
The Raptors have been reduced to looking ahead to next season and assessing how many players from the current makeup should be back when training camp tips off this fall.
Even Barnes admitted the past few weeks have allowed players an opportunity they wouldn’t have received if the roster had been fully healthy.
“I’m super excited to see them play,’’ he said. “They’re learning the system, the attention to details. They play hard and they’re competing.”
The Raptors have competed and their effort level cannot be questioned.
Whether it’s Gradey Dick or a Jontay Porter, a few players have stood out.
Without Barnes, the two players Toronto acquired from the New York Knicks, Immanuel Quickley and R.J. Barrett, have had their roles and responsibilities expanded.
Each has had moments when they emerged as the best player on the floor.
There’s no doubt Barnes is Toronto’s best player.
He was hurt in a home loss to the Golden State Warriors.
“Weird injury,” said Barnes, who suffered the injury when Quickley accidentally kicked Barnes in the hand attempting to contest a layup from the Dubs’ Jonathan Kuminga.
“Getting better day by day,’’ added Barnes. “Just takes some time, but otherwise I’m feeling really good.”
Barnes was hurt on March 1.
Two nights later, the team lost Jakob Poeltl in the first half of a win over visiting Charlotte when the big man hurt his left pinky finger.
He would soon undergo surgery and is likely done for the season.
When a team’s best player and its one and only legitimate centre are both unavailable, losing becomes unavoidable.
When healthy, Barnes and Poeltl make the Raptors much better, which goes without saying.
There will be more occasions for Barnes to speak about his recovery, but he’s the type of player who really doesn’t say much, if anything, of any substance.
After all, he has to allow his on-court play to do his talking.
He’s best served to prepare for the U.S. camp and use it as a stepping stone for Raptors training camp.
Any thought of playing this season for the Raptors would be foolish.