Best Case / Worst Case: Will Scottie Barnes continue his superstar ascension in 2024-25? w/ Katie Heindl

Locked On Raptors - Daily Podcast On The Toronto Raptors

Scottie Barnes is the guy the Toronto Raptors are betting the future of their franchise on -- will he vindicate that decision this year with a big time follow-up to his impressive 2023-24 season? In Episode 1704, Sean Woodley and Katie Heindl (Basketball Feelings) dig into the best and worst case outcomes that could be on deck for Barnes in his fourth season in the NBA, and the reasons why he will or will not continue his rise among the league's top talents. Off the top, they chat about the best case outcome, which probably entails Barnes doing the superstar thing and driving winning basketball any time he's on the floor -- something he failed to do last season despite an immense leap. Plus, how much does his scoring output need to tick up in order for him to truly ascend into the ranks of the league's elite? Next, Sean and Katie discuss where things could go wrong for Barnes in Year 4. What if the Raptors can't eek out winning stretches when he's on the floor? What if his struggles as an isolation, pull-up and short mid-range scorer persist? Is there a world in which the Raptors' big bet on Barnes looks a little more dubious a year from now than it does today? Lastly, they chat about their actual predictions for what Barnes' output will look like this season. Maybe we don't see the same across-the-board leap we saw from him in Year 3, but will a vastly improved team context for amplifying his skills on top of much-needed clarity regarding the franchise's direction leave the Raptors still feeling good about Barnes' trajectory in the coming years?

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