Scottie Barnes didn’t get the All-NBA nod plenty of Raptors fans thought he earned last season, and the backlash was immediate. He was left off all three teams, then got passed over again for the All-Defensive First Team even though he’d established himself as one of the league’s most versatile and effective defenders.
That snub didn’t sit well with Sam Vecenie, either. On the Game Theory Podcast after the All-NBA announcements, he said he thought it came down to “people don’t want the Raptors.”
There’s at least a case for that view. Toronto had only two games on U.S. national TV during the regular season, and Barnes didn’t regularly get that kind of stage until the playoffs.
That part changes next season, at least a little. The Raptors are scheduled for seven national TV games, a clear jump even if it still isn’t a huge number. And the slate brings some real spotlight matchups against teams that could matter in the standings.
For Barnes, that matters. More exposure means more chances to build the kind of All-NBA and All-Defensive case that didn’t fully get off the ground last season.
The playoff run already showed what he can do when the lights are brightest. Barnes put up 24.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1.1 steals in that seven-game series.
After that, the question shifted. It wasn’t whether he can flash that level.
It was whether he can hold it over a full season.
If the trade for Kawhi Leonard goes through before the start of the season, that only raises the stakes. Leonard would naturally command plenty of attention as a Raptors All-NBA candidate, but Barnes would still have a path. The Pistons, Thunder, and Nuggets all had two players on the three All-NBA teams after the 2025-26 season, and Toronto could put itself in that same conversation if Leonard and Barnes lead the team to the top of the Eastern Conference.
There’s also the possibility that Leonard simply isn’t available as consistently as Barnes, which could open the door for Barnes to land the All-NBA spot himself.
Either way, the national TV slate gives him a better platform. The Raptors’ seven games are against the Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers, and each one gives Barnes a chance to show how he stacks up against stars like Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown, and LeBron James.
In Other News...
Raptors Still Have One Frontcourt Battle That Could Matter A Lot
The Raptors still have one frontcourt question worth watching as training camp approaches: who steps in behind Jakob Poeltl when the second unit needs a real center. Toronto has a handful of options in the mix, including Trayce Jackson-Davis, acquired in a trade and intriguing in limited minutes, Malik Jemison on a two-way deal with championship experience, veteran Chris Boucher Anderson with his usual versatility, rookie Gradey Graves, and Christian Murray-Boyles, who has already spent time in that role.
For a team trying to settle its rotation before the season begins, this is more than a housekeeping item. Backup center minutes can shape how the Raptors manage lineups, protect Poeltl over the long haul and keep the frontcourt balanced when injuries or foul trouble hit, and the club is still sorting through which direction it wants to lean. The competition is open enough that camp could end up carrying real weight for more than one player. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Fans Already Have One Early Date To Circle For Kawhi
The 2026-27 regular season schedule already gives Raptors fans one date to mark down, with the Clippers set to visit Toronto on Nov. 2. Any meeting with Los Angeles carries extra edge because of Kawhi Leonards place in franchise history, and this one arrives with the kind of built-in intrigue the league likes to pretend it can schedule away. Even before the ball goes up, the backdrop is already bigger than a normal early-November game.
Leonards path back into a Raptors-focused conversation still runs through the league office, with the trade from the Clippers under review and the timing of a resolution still not fully clear. The expectation is that the matter will be settled before next season begins, but there remains a chance it stretches into the year, which would leave Leonards status hanging over the calendar and make that first Clippers date in Toronto feel even heavier. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Primetime Schedule Comes With One Credibility Test Fans Will Debate
The Raptors upcoming national-TV slate gives fans a decent early read on where the league sees Toronto fitting into the conversation, with seven games on the primetime schedule and a mix of opponents that should tell their own stories. Miami, Atlanta, Minnesota, Boston and Philadelphia all bring different kinds of intrigue, whether it is style, star power or the kind of roster turnover that makes an October matchup feel a little less predictable than usual.
One of the more debated entries is also the one that could matter most to the bigger picture, because the leagues scheduling choices are rarely just about last seasons record. Torontos place on that stage invites the kind of scrutiny that comes with a possible major roster move hanging over the team, and it is why this slate feels like more than just a list of broadcast dates. It is a credibility test, and one that fans will argue over long before the games actually tip off. [Read more 🡒]