3 Burning Questions For Raptors Heading Into 2025-26 Season

On paper, that quintet should be able to edge out quite a few opponents offensively, especially with the young players bolstering their rotation. Yet, there’s a stark difference between the perimeter shooting and defense of these two groups. In fact, the fit between those five players is a bit clunky.

Ingram and Quickley are slightly above-average 3-point threats. Last season, Barrett converted an efficient 36.4 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s. However, all three are at their best with the ball in their hands. Barnes, a point-forward and career 30.0 percent 3-point shooter is at his best when operating on-ball as well. Then there’s Poeltl, a deceptively skilled center but one who has only made three 3s in 617 career games (playoffs included).

Will RJ Barrett Survive The Trade Deadline?

The NBA is a business, first and foremost. That’s why the Raptors can’t be faulted for putting Barrett on the trade block. Despite his love for and loyalty to Toronto, he’s simply not an optimal fit for their projected starting lineup.

With that being said, Barrett’s blend of production, potential and growth should give him an opportunity to extend his partnership. Of course, the 25-year-old could still be moved before the 2025-26 season opener. Nevertheless, at this point in time, he appears set to begin the season with the Raptors. If so, and if he wants that to remain the case, his first priority should be proving he can be what their starting lineup needs.

That doesn’t mean he has to stop putting his head down and getting to the rack. His growing ability to dish out dimes to his teammates only makes him more of a winning player. Still, excelling as a point-of-attack defender and off-ball shooter will go a long way to keeping him north of the border.

Does Scottie Barnes Have Another Level?

Taken fourth overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, Barnes has naturally emerged as the Raptors face of the franchise. Even at his worst, he puts pressure on defenses with his physical tools, basketball IQ and guard skills. A true two-way playmaker, he’s also generally regarded as one of the league’s top defenders.

Barnes’s only issue to this point of his career has been shooting. As previously mentioned, he’s a career 30.0 percent 3-point shooter. In 2024-25, he actually shot career-lows of 27.1 percent from 3 and 27.6 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s.

From there, the conversation gets tricky. Barnes is a significantly better shooter in the corners, making 34.6 percent of his 3s. Nonetheless, that’s still a below-average mark. Where he really shined beyond the arc was on catch-and-shoot 3s in 2023-24, as he converted 38.5 percent of those attempts.

Right now, it’s hard to say whether he’s hit his plateau as a jump shooter with any certainty. Barnes shooting 47.6 percent from 10-16 feet in 2024-25 only leads to more questions, as it was his first season converting 40+ percent of those attempts. Frankly, it doesn’t look too promising though, and that could certainly affect his future.