The Toronto Raptors have fully embraced a new era of their franchise, with Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett as the foundations on which the Raptors’ new era will build. The trio played well together last season, posting a +2.9 net rating across 439 minutes. Toronto has committed a lot to the young trio by extending Barnes and Quickley this offseason. With the 2024-25 season coming up, what’s the most pressing question for each of the Raptors rising stars to answer?
One Question For Each Of the Raptors Rising Stars
Scottie Barnes
Question: How good is he as an outside shooter?
Barnes had a breakout season in 2023-24, being named to his first All-Star team. One of the most significant driving factors behind this was his dramatic improvement from three. Barnes went from shooting 28% on threes in 2022/23 to 34% last season. Throughout the first 40 games, Barnes was on fire from deep, shooting 38% on 5.6 attempts. Unfortunately, Barnes went ice cold from deep over the last 20 games, connecting on a lousy 23% of his outside shots. Barnes has never been a good shooter, hitting 28% and 30% of his threes in his first two seasons, respectively. Barnes was a non-shooter in college, taking just 40 threes and hitting 27% of them. Last season, Barnes proved he wasn’t afraid to take threes. How good he is at them is still a question.
RJ Barrett
Question: How real was his three-point shooting from last season?
Barrett played the best basketball of his NBA career after he was traded to the Raptors. In 32 games with Toronto, Barrett scored 22 points a night while shooting 39% on four threes per game. This is Barrett’s best percentage from three since his sophomore season. While 32 games isn’t a small sample, it certainly isn’t an entire season’s worth. With the Knicks, Barrett shot 6% worse on threes, connecting on just 33% of his outside shots across 26 games. For the entire 2023/24 season, Barrett knocked down 36% of his threes. When Barrett hits his threes, the rest of his game opens up. His driving game becomes more lethal, and his passing becomes a threat. Barrett’s shooting with the Raptors could just be a hot streak, but his performance at the Olympics suggests his improved shooting touch is real.
Immanuel Quickley
Question: Can he improve as an inside-the-arc scorer?
Unlike the other two members of Toronto’s star trio, Quickley is a proven outside shooter. What remains to be seen from Quickley is whether he can finish inside the arc reliably. With the Raptors, Quickley shot 45% on two’s. Quickley’s mid-range jumper in New York was a crucial part of his inside-the-arc scoring, knocking them down at a 46% clip. He couldn’t buy a mid-range jumper with the Raptors, only making 32% of them—a career low. Like his jumper, Quickley’s floater game didn’t translate to the Raptors, posting a career-worst 36% on shots in the paint outside of the restricted area. Quickley has never been great at scoring inside the arc, but to live up to his new contract, he has to improve.
The Start Of A Big Three?
The Raptors have invested heavily in this young trio. Next season, the organization will pay Barnes, Barrett, and Quickley nearly $70 million. It is unclear what this trio’s potential is, but if they can answer these questions next season, it could be the start of a new big three for the Raptors.
