Raptors moving Barnes to point guard could be answer to season

Sometimes, the simplest fix is hiding in plain sight. For the Toronto Raptors, that fix might be playing Scottie Barnes at the point-guard spot.

It is pretty obvious that for a long stretch, Barnes had not looked the same offensively since the Raptors returned from the All-Star break. Prior to being named an All Star for just the second time in his young career, he was averaging 19.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.6 assists through 49 games. Since the break, those numbers have dropped to 16.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. Beyond the box score, Barnes has also appeared noticeably less aggressive.

There is a saying that everything happens for a reason. While no one ever wishes for injuries, the absence of Immanuel Quickley due to plantar fasciitis, combined with Jamal Shead’s recent struggles, forced Toronto to adjust its starting lineup in search of answers at point guard. Fortunately, head coach Darko Rajakovic may have found a solution.

On the roster sheet, Barnes is listed as a power forward. However, Barnes is unique in that he can play any position from one through five. He has actually spent almost a third of his time at the center spot this season. And finally, 73 games into the season, Rajakovic has made an adjustment that may go a long way, especially in the playoffs.

As the saying goes, it is better late than never.

Two matches ago against the New Orleans Pelicans, Barnes had a phenomenal debut at point guard on the season, tallying 23 points, 12 assists, and 6 rebounds, playing a major part in the Raptors’ 119-106 win. Barnes followed up that performance with an even better one against the Orlando Magic, where he had 23 points, 5 rebounds, 15 assists, and 3 steals. Barnes’s strong play was the driving force behind the Raptors’ 31-0 run to etch their name in the history books.

That run set the record for the highest-scoring unanswered run in the play-by-play era (since 1996-97). The previous record was a 30-0 run by the Dallas Mavericks in a losing effort against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Dec. 2, 2023. It also allowed Toronto to claim a much-needed victory over the Magic, 139-87.

Outside of playing incredible defence, Barnes’s best trait might be his court vision. The last game was the fourth consecutive game that Barnes recorded at least ten assists, which is the longest stretch in his career. If that was not impressive enough, he also recorded a career-best 28th double-double on the season.

Prior to these past two games, Barnes had been playing a lot more idly, usually playing off-ball, watching from the corner. However, in his new role, he did the complete opposite of that. With Barnes playing the one, he was forced to attack and facilitate more, and the rest of the supporting cast of Raptors thrived, getting multiple clean looks. While he spent time floating above the break for reset passes — as the Raptors want out of guards at times within the offence — he used those resets to attack.

The Barnes-led offence has seen a number of Raptors thrive. During the Pels game, outside of Barnes, five Raps had double-digit points. Arguably, the number should have been six if Collin-Murray Boyles had not been forced to exit early with back spasms. Murray-Boyles finished with nine points in just 12 minutes of action.

In the Magic game, outside Barnes, six players notched double-digit points. Barnes had countless highlight-reel passes, some to players who do not often get playing time. To name a few, he had a drive-and-kick to Gradey Dick, who knocked down a wide-open triple from the right wing. Barnes fed Alijah Martin on the fastbreak for a reverse layup. And he also made a gorgeous pass in transition to the corner to AJ Lawson, who drilled another wide-open look from deep. He can access every area of the court with a live dribble, which is enormously dangerous for defences.

That performance by Barnes was also the first time since the 2020 season that a Raptor put together a four-game stretch of ten-plus assists. The last Raptor to do that was Kyle Lowry, who had strung together six straight games with ten-plus dimes. Anytime a player’s name is involved with a great like Lowry, that should mean a lot.

Rajakovic praised Barnes following the Pelicans game, saying that “he’s a pass-first player. He likes to move, to pass; he likes to find his teammates. He is exceptional in transition.” That is an absolute luxury to have on your team, especially when the player is able to buy into any role they need him in.

Barnes echoed that mindset during a post-game interview, stating, “It doesn’t matter where I need to be on the floor; I’m going to try and do what I can to try and win the game…whatever it is, starting point guard, guarding the five, playing point, playing forward.”

Not only did this adjustment make it crystal clear that they should be playing Barnes at the one, but they also had a glimpse of how their second-year player, Ja’Kobe Walter, would fare as the starting shooting guard in that lineup. He, like Barnes, also did fantastically in his new role, scoring 18 points and dishing out four dimes.

Over his last ten games, Walter has averaged 11 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. This season, Toronto has struggled to shoot the ball well from three, but that has not been the case for Walter, who knocks down 39.5 percent of his shots from downtown, the second-best percentage on the team. He’s been red-hot at just the right time.

In that same interview, Barnes even spoke highly about Walter’s ability to knock down triples: “His shooting is just something that we need on our team; he’s been on fire. Every shot he takes looks like it’s going in…Sometimes we get in these situations where we’re not making shots, but we can count on him to be able to play defence and make shots.”

If this new lineup continues to mesh well, when Quickley comes back healthy, Rajakovic will have some decisions to make. Moving Quickley to the bench could be a choice, though it will be a very risky option, considering his salary, experience, and talents. But it could have benefits. As good as Shead has been at times, he has struggled to get buckets, especially as of late. Toronto desperately needs someone who can be a spark off the bench, score points, and lead the second unit.

Quickley has all the tools to do that, and he has experience doing it as well. Back when he was playing on the New York Knicks during the 2022-23 season, he came off the bench in 60 games and averaged 12.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. He also shot the ball well from beyond the arc, making over 35 percent of his shots from three.

For a more risky move, Rajakovic could bench Brandon Ingram, who has also been out injured during Barnes’ ascendence. Perhaps RJ Barrett could thrive on the bench. Or the team simply runs different sets, with Barnes initiating, with the standard starting group. There are options. But the only certainty is that Barnes needs the ball in his hands.

With only eight games left in the regular season, Toronto may have finally found the answers to their prayers, and they could not have asked for better timing.

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