Brandon Ingram’s playoff run with the Raptors was rough enough to raise questions in the moment. He was the team’s leading scorer in the regular season at 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, but that production never really traveled into the postseason. Ingram topped 20 points only once, had two games in single digits, and had trouble getting to his preferred spots before a heel injury kept him out of the final two games.
At the time, that debut in Toronto felt like a giant missed opportunity. The Raptors had to wonder what might have happened if Ingram had been healthy and clicking. Would that first-round series have gone differently?
But there’s another way to read it now: his struggles may have helped the Raptors more than they hurt them. With Ingram unable to carry the offense, Scottie Barnes had to become the guy.
RJ Barrett also did his part, but Barnes was the one who took the biggest leap. He averaged 24.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game in the playoffs, raising his offensive game while still bringing it on defense.
That kind of run matters because of what the Raptors are trying to build next. If Kawhi Leonard comes back, Barnes will be asked to do a lot of the same things again.
Leonard is going to miss games, whether it’s because of load management, injuries, or a possible suspension. When he’s out, Barnes has to be the No. 1 guy on both ends.
The playoffs gave Toronto a real look at whether he can handle that load.
The Leonard plan is really a big wager on Barnes. Toronto is trying to build around a 35-year-old and betting Barnes can grow into a leader who can be a top-two player on one of the East’s best teams when Leonard is available, and the main option when he isn’t.
That’s a heavy ask for a 24-year-old, but the postseason showed Barnes might be ready for it. He would be stretched too thin if he had to carry that burden across an entire regular season and playoff run.
That’s where Leonard changes the equation. Leonard can be the top offensive force, while Barnes can stay locked in on defense and avoid drifting too far outside his comfort zone on offense.
Even so, Leonard’s absences will leave a major hole. The Raptors don’t have one player who can replace nearly 30 points per game and the shot creation he brings. Their best path through those stretches is to defend hard, trust Barnes to keep growing, and get enough scoring from RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to stay ahead of opponents.
For Barnes, those seven playoff games were more than just a stretch of extra responsibility. They were a crash course in carrying a team when everything is on the line, and that experience could end up being one of the most important pieces of the Raptors’ next step.
In Other News...
Warriors Fans Suddenly Have A Stephen Curry Scenario To Fear
The idea of Stephen Curry in Toronto is the kind of offseason hypotheticals that usually gets filed away as internet noise, but this one has a little more texture because of the Raptors connection to him. Currys family history includes a Toronto chapter through his father, and he also spent part of his childhood in the city, which gives any theoretical fit a different feel than a random star swap.
Golden State fans are still left with the uneasy part of the conversation, though, because Curry has been open to the idea of creative thinking if it helps the Warriors get back on track after injuries altered the picture. Even in a speculative world, his future is not something that can be treated like a normal trade chip, and that is what makes the scenario worth watching rather than dismissing outright. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Revenge Path Just Got A Lot More Real
Cleveland already made Toronto work for everything in their recent playoff series, pushing it to seven games even without some key pieces in the lineup. Since then, the Cavaliers have kept Donovan Mitchell in place and are lining up another addition in Mario Hezonja, but the roster around him has changed enough to make the East feel a little less fixed than it did in the spring.
For the Raptors, the bigger point is that their own ceiling could rise fast if Kawhi Leonard ends up in the mix and stays available. A healthier, more dangerous Toronto group would look like a far tougher matchup for Cleveland next time around, especially with the Cavs having already shown they can be stretched when the series gets physical and the margins get thin. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors May Have Found More Than Just Another Veteran Voice
Garrett Temples departure left the Raptors without one of the quieter stabilizers in their locker room, and Toronto moved quickly to replace that veteran presence with Kyle Anderson in free agency. The fit makes sense on paper. Anderson is the kind of experienced, versatile forward who can steady a second unit, give the staff reliable minutes when needed and help younger players navigate the daily grind that comes with a long season.
What makes the signing more interesting is that Toronto may be getting more than a placeholder for Temples old role. Anderson has bounced around the league recently, but he also brings a playoff background that should matter to a team trying to raise its standard around a young core. If he settles where the Raptors expect in the rotation, his value could come less from headlines and more from the sort of dependable influence that tends to show up when the games start meaning more. [Read more 🡒]