Scottie Barnes confirmed as the initiator of the Raptors attack

A fortnight ago, Scottie Barnes said he was ready to endorse “ a leadership role » wider this season Toronto. This Monday, on the occasion of the “media day” of Raptorsmarked by the gloomy atmosphere between Pascal Siakam and his president Masai Ujiri, his new coach Darko Rajakovic took charge of confirming his wish.

“ The players will be interchangeable, from position 1 to position 4. This is why I can imagine Scottie initiating phases of play. He is very versatile, both as a screen setter and as a ball carrier. », Indeed affirmed the new Serbian coach. “ He is a natural passer, we will energize our attack around his use on the pick-and-roll. With adults and children alike. »

In other words, Scottie Barnes, whether he is labeled as a point guard or a winger, will be the backbone of the Raptors offense more than ever this season. “Finally”, fans of the Ontario franchise will no doubt say, after a depressing 2022/23 campaign offensively (the 7th weakest attack in the league), and while we remember that the former of Florida State had already expressed this wish last September…

A year later, things changed as Fred VanVleet left, as did Nick Nurse. And the 2022 “Rookie Of The Year”, despite the recruitment of Dennis Schröder, will therefore discover a new era of his young career, at the center of Darko Rajakovic’s system.

“ It’s pleasant. I will have the ball in my hands more often. I think good things happen when I have the ball in my hands. In any case, I will have more opportunities, more rehearsals », he appreciates, before confirming, without filter, the visual feeling of last season in Toronto. “ It was a bit exhausting. We sometimes had the feeling that we were each playing for ourselves. But I have the feeling that Darko is working to change all that. We feel better in the attack, when everyone sacrifices themselves for the collective. »

Scottie Barnes, the hider?

So here we are in a new era in Toronto, that of Scottie Barnes. An expected and logical observation, even if all of this, for the moment, still falls within the realm of theory. Because if the decision to make the Florida native more responsible is of course relevant, the fact remains that the 22-year-old player is still far from being a finished product, and therefore does not embody the savior for the Raptors . Especially with limited spacing.

“ We want to be a team that moves the leather, and that divides responsibilities so that everyone is involved », then nuance Darko Rajakovic, even if he ultimately comes back to the same point. “ I don’t like isolation, so we’re going to boost our half-court offense. […] But at the end of the day, you know what? The ball will always go into the hands of the best players. »

And Scottie Barnes reiterates that he has strong enough shoulders to shoulder these responsibilities. “ My mentality is simply to dominate », he adds. “ I’m in very good shape, I’ve gained a little over 4 kilos of muscle. I feel really good, I’m in better physical condition, too. »

In summary, if Toronto’s season promises to be particularly illegible, one point seems very clear: Scottie Barnes, for better or for worse, is the new strong man of the franchise.

How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.

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