With the Pascal Siakam trade frenzy officially over, it’s time for the Toronto Raptors to flip the page and begin their new era.
Darko Rajakovic called Scottie Barnes the face of the league in his postgame rant following the Raptors controversial loss to the Lakers.
While he may not be there yet, Barnes is certainly the face of the Raptors.
There is no denying that this is Barnes’ team now and he is the one Masai Ujiri and the Raptors organization will build this team around going forward.
Barnes has burst onto the scene in his third year. It’s been such an incredible leap taken by Barnes. One that Ujiri admitted that he didn’t see coming this fast.
Barnes gave Raptors fans a glimpse of the future when he took over in the game against the Chicago Bulls and put up All-Star numbers.
This game was on TNT and Barnes put on a show for the national audience.
Despite the loss, Barnes finished with 31 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks on 61 percent shooting from the field.
He did have 6 turnovers, but Barnes will have plenty of time to clean up patches to his game during this rebuild.
Barnes’ newest teammate Bruce Brown, who was acquired in the Siakam trade, saw Barnes go to work first hand.
Following the game, Brown had nothing but high praise for Barnes saying “he’s a top tier superstar in this league,” via Libaan Osman of The Toronto Star:
Bruce Brown calls Scottie Barnes a dog speaking to reporters for the first time:
“He’s a top tier superstar in this league. He can do everything.” pic.twitter.com/n6feRAOdN3
— Libaan Osman (@libaanstar1) January 19, 2024
Barnes showcasing superstar potential
Brown might end up having a very short tenure with the Raptors since he already finds himself in a whirlwind of trade rumors. However, the NBA Champion already recognizes Barnes’ impressive talent.
As the Raptors transition into their next phase, there will certainly be growing pains and a lot of ups and downs. However, the Raptors seem to be in good hands with Barnes leading the charge.
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