The Raptors’ loss to Boston on Wednesday night did more than add another mark in the standings. It put RJ Barrett back under the microscope, and the picture keeps getting harder to sell.
Toronto has now dropped three of its last four, and with Kawhi Leonard already sidelined after just two games and Scottie Barnes missing time as well, Barrett has been asked to do more. That’s where the problems have shown up most clearly. The version of Barrett the Raptors hoped for this season - a wing who could scale up, handle more offensive responsibility and steady the group when stars sit - hasn’t really materialized.
Against the Celtics, Barrett finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two turnovers and three stocks while going 5-of-16 from the field and 0-of-2 from three. The raw line is fine enough. The process behind it is where the concern lives.
The issue isn’t that Barrett took too many shots. If anything, there’s an argument he should be more aggressive.
The problem is the kind of looks he’s taking. In this one, he leaned on turnaround fadeaways, mixed in several midrange attempts and forced difficult finishes on drives, all while getting to just two threes.
That’s been the same old story: not enough perimeter volume, too many tough shots.
That’s why the offseason optimism around Barrett feels a lot shakier now. He was talked about as a wing version of Julius Randle from his Knicks days, the kind of player who could raise the floor when the stars need a breather and shoulder a heavier scoring and creation load. But the early season has shown he’s nowhere close to that level of reliability.
The bigger problem for Toronto is that Barrett already doesn’t offer much as a three-point shooter or defender, and the current stretch has only made that harder to ignore. If he can’t consistently lift his game when Barnes and Leonard are out, it becomes even tougher to imagine how he fits when everyone is healthy.
There was at least one encouraging note in the Boston game: Barrett’s perimeter defense. He held shooters to 2-of-6 on three-point attempts, and he also made some passes and handled pick-and-roll duties in ways that stood out. But those flashes only go so far when the broader fit still feels uncertain.
As the trade deadline gets closer, the Raptors have a real decision to make. Barrett’s role is bigger right now, but the more tape teams get of him as a primary option, the more his limitations show up. And if he doesn’t have the traits to naturally complement Toronto’s stars at full strength, the question only gets louder: what exactly is his long-term fit with the Raptors?
In Other News...
76ers Injury Trouble Just Opened A Door The Raptors Need
Scottie Barnes will miss a fourth straight game with a left groin strain, leaving the Raptors without one of their most important two-way players as they get ready to face the 76ers. Toronto has already felt the impact of Barnes absence on both ends of the floor, and with Kawhi Leonard also unavailable, the rotation is being pushed into a thinner, more uncertain shape than the team would prefer at this point.
Still, the matchup comes with a chance for Toronto to keep pressing forward against a Philadelphia group dealing with its own injury issues. LeBron James is out, Joel Embiid is questionable, and the Raptors will need more from the next wave of contributors, including Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles, to help cover the ground Barnes usually handles. For a team looking to stay afloat through the injuries, this is the kind of game where the margins matter. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Face Another Brutal Test Without A Key Starter
The Raptors are heading into another difficult matchup shorthanded, with Scottie Barnes, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kawhi Leonard all ruled out for their game against the 76ers. It is the kind of injury report that changes the feel of a night before the opening tip, especially for a Toronto group already trying to stay afloat through a stretch of absences.
Philadelphia has its own uncertainty, with LeBron James out and Joel Embiid listed as questionable for the 7:00 pm ET meeting. Even with the other side dealing with some missing names, Toronto still has to find enough creation and defensive resistance to survive a game that suddenly looks a lot more about depth than star power. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Could Catch 76ers At A Surprisingly Vulnerable Time
Joel Embiids assessment of the 76ers after 12 games was blunt enough to matter, especially for a team that still owns one of the Easts best records while leaving plenty of room for growth on both ends. Philadelphia has been winning despite some uneven offensive production, and Embiids own right foot injury has added another layer of uncertainty as the schedule moves on. Even so, he was present for media availability, which suggests the Raptors will have to prepare as if he could be on the floor when the teams meet next.
For Toronto, the timing is at least intriguing. The Raptors are already dealing with several key absences, so any edge in this matchup likely has to come from catching Philadelphia before it fully sharpens its game. A contender can look vulnerable without actually being in danger, and the Sixers early-season profile fits that description right now, with enough success to stay near the top and enough inconsistency to leave the door cracked open for an undermanned opponent. [Read more 🡒]