11 video games into his profession and it appears as if Scottie Barnes is de facto good at basketball. Relying on the place you look, he’s wherever between six-seven to six-nine and weighs in at round 225 lbs. His top permits him to see the ground higher than anybody who’s shorter than him and his energy has been on full show since day one.
There are some issues which are shocking in his transition from faculty to the NBA, reminiscent of his leap shot, which actually doesn’t want as a lot work as some scouts beforehand famous. While you think about all this stuff, alongside together with his angle and method to the sport, it’s onerous envisioning him not excelling within the Raptors schemes, no matter the place he’s plugged.
Which begs the query: ought to Scottie be Toronto’s major ball handler?
Earlier than you make your judgement, this doesn’t imply that Fred VanVleet’s getting shipped out of city and Scottie assumes the mantle of group chief. That’s not the method I’m taking with this. Fred’s nonetheless the loudest voice, and he’s unquestionably the Raptors chief. I’m additionally not somebody who’s on the “let’s commerce Pascal Siakam” prepare as a result of that may simply be irrational.
Whereas they function in an identical house on the ground, I’m not satisfied that Scottie and Pascal can’t co-exist, particularly after two video games. The method I’m taking issues these three issues: the choose and roll potentialities, the eye he’ll draw as a result of his measurement, and we’ll additionally check out whether or not he’s already the groups finest passer.
Decide and roll
You’ll by no means watch a NBA sport with out seeing the choose and roll executed in some capability, regardless of how the league evolves. In actual fact, it’s most likely probably the most devastating transfer relying on the offensive gamers which are concerned. What modifications over time with the choose and roll is the personnel used to do it. Round 10 years in the past, you may need turn out to be used to seeing guys within the bodily mould of Tony Parker because the ball handler, with somebody with the body of Tim Duncan because the choose man.
Whereas the massive man-little man tandems are nonetheless very distinguished, immediately’s choose and roll exists with many alternative variations. Nonetheless, the highest three most frequent initiators so as embody Trae Younger, Kemba Walker, and Donovan Mitchell, whereas Nikola Vucevic, Jusuf Nurkic and Drew Eubanks spherical out the highest three roll males. The roles performed by these six gamers don’t break the norm of previous iterations.
Right here’s the place the Raptors ought to deviate from custom.
Within the minds of many, Scottie Barnes is forward of schedule. There’s little doubt that he’s going to be All-Rookie First Staff and he’s the favorite for Rookie of the 12 months honours as we communicate. If the Raptors need to get probably the most out of him, it might make sense to develop his to do listing each sport and get him extra concerned within the choose and roll.
Because the ball handler, Barnes doesn’t have the vary but to knock it down from too far past the three. Nonetheless, he has a really stable mid vary shot (considerably shocking given all of the discuss his shot mechanics needing work), and he may even problem his defender, beating him off the dribble, driving in and attacking the rim or kicking it out to one of many Raps’ dependable shooters or cutters.
As a roll man, Scottie may unlock avenues of Toronto’s offence that not even Dr. Unusual may see. He’s by no means complacent with the ball and that’s extremely uncommon for a rookie. His passing capacity and courtroom imaginative and prescient has already been effectively documented, and in the event you’re undecided what I’m speaking about, watch this video and picture the Raptors using Barnes in such a approach. I do know these clips are from his days at Florida State however he seems to be considerably larger and stronger than everybody else which actually isn’t far off from how he’s faired in his NBA profession to this point.
Having satisfactory shooters and cutters like Fred, Gary Trent Jr., Svi Mykhailiuk, and OG Anunoby is a cheat code when Scottie brings the ball up on the quick break. But when he’s drawing consideration on the prime of the three, that’s a straightforward two from whoever’s within the paint.
Drawing consideration
Attributable to his body and his measurement, Scottie just isn’t a unfastened cowl by any means. Certain, he’s nonetheless creating however opposing groups have taken discover of simply how efficient he actually is. When he’s within the half courtroom, or extra particularly within the paint, it’s quite simple for him to bully his defender on his approach to the basket. It was Friday evening when he unintentionally carried out an arm drag on Cavaliers massive man Jarrett Allen, who clocks in at a wholesome six ft, 11 inches and 243 lbs. Though it has nothing to do with him establishing place within the publish, this at the very least demonstrates simply how sturdy he’s.
It could be approach too early to say that he’ll command double groups, however overwhelming a rookie with two defenders, or instructing gamers to protect the realm inside his normal neighborhood isn’t a sport plan that ought to be missed. Nonetheless, if and when Scottie finally ends up drawing defenders, one in all his teammates will inevitably be left open. When that occurs, he’ll be good sufficient to search out them. Kevin Durant praised him for his excessive IQ on Sunday proper after Brooklyn picked up their first W in Toronto since 2015. With out query, Scottie has already caught the eyes of coaches and gamers alike.
Passing capacity
Whether or not he’s working down the courtroom in a quick break or he’s directing his teammates to chop, his passing sport is a factor of magnificence. It’s not simply how he’s totally able to a strong, one-handed move in transition. It’s additionally his capacity to zip the ball previous 4 defenders, to his teammate within the paint.
If he could make these passes from wherever on the courtroom, any group that faces the Raptors goes to should assume twice when double-teaming him, particularly if his shot continues go down smoother than Casamigos.
The case for Scottie as the first ball handler, if it involves fruition, would additionally profit his teammates and enhance the general chemistry of the group. As confirmed by the hustle stats, Toronto leads the league in deflections and unfastened balls recovered, which we are able to imagine implicates that everybody has purchased right into a team-first mentality. So, the dialogue on easy methods to middle the offence round Scottie and maximize his skillset, because it continues to develop, is unquestionably on the desk.
Perhaps your eyes are rolling, or perhaps you’re in settlement {that a} system that includes a flexible six-nine level guard can be useful to the group that employs him. By way of 11 video games, Scottie Barnes is every thing and extra that you simply’d count on from Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster, and Nick Nurse. It’s solely a matter of time earlier than the accolades begin to pile up.
Tip Manny Rao
Would Scottie Barnes be best as Toronto’s major ball handler? originated on Raptors Republic.