Scottie Barnes’ status for Wednesday night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers remains uncertain.
The Toronto Raptors plan to list Barnes as questionable with a right hand injury he has been playing through in recent games, head coach Darko Rajaković said. Barnes aggravated the injury Monday night against the Washington Wizards and may not be available Wednesday.
If he sits out, Barnes will be approaching the league’s 65-game threshold for awards eligibility, having already missed 14 games this season. He can afford only three more absences to remain eligible for All-NBA and All-Defense honors. While an All-NBA selection is unlikely, it would trigger a $46 million raise on his next contract, making it a supermax deal.
Jakob Poeltl will return Wednesday after missing one game for “rest.” He has sat out two of the last three games.
Ochai Agbaji has been upgraded to questionable after a five-game absence with an ankle injury.
The Raptors remain without Ja’Kobe Walter, Gradey Dick, Brandon Ingram, Jamison Battle, and Ulrich Chomche. Walter’s status for the season is in doubt, as he’s believed to have suffered a Grade 2 hip sprain that could sideline him for the final month, per Sportsnet's Michael Grange.
Philadelphia is expected to be without Joel Embiid and Paul George, while Tyrese Maxey’s status remains uncertain. Kyle Lowry's status remains unclear in what could be his final game in Toronto.
Toronto currently holds a half-game lead over the 76ers and Brooklyn Nets for the fifth-worst record in the league, with a 42.1% chance of landing a top-four pick in this year’s draft.
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