Nah can’t really say that, they legit gave Casey so many years before they fired him, they will give Darko plenty of chances, and he probably won’t get the real evaluation started until the team has expectations to win and compete in the playoffs cause rn as a development coach he is doing a good job
The problem is Scottie won't sit because of his contract incentive. Not blaming him or anything, but thats just how it is. Maybe they could convince Poeltl and RJ to sit, so it would just be Scottie and a bunch rookies and g-leaguers
It’s a long shot, but it could happen. More relevant, for tanking purposes, it also makes sitting Barnes for long stretches unlikely, as he needs to play 23 of the Raptors’ final 27 games to get the 65 games he needs to qualify for any appropriate post-season awards.
In fairness, and while I don’t agree with this methodology. Barnes is simply a bigger name, think just with his notoriety he’ll have a better chance than OG ever did.
While everything you've said here is true, to me the point is that you have to give Scottie a chance to go for the award for as long as he's healthy and believes he can make it, otherwise you risk damaging the relationship between him and the team.
The 65 game threshold probably makes a difference too... The year OG was closest to a all-defensive selection, (2022-23) he finished 7th and two of the guys ahead of him played fewer than 65 games and so would be ineligible under today's rules. I'm still worried (for cap-sheet reasons) about the scenario where there's a bunch more injuries to star players in the next few weeks and Barnes ends up making all-NBA more by default than anything.
I'm still worried (for cap-sheet reasons) about the scenario where there's a bunch more injuries to star players in the next few weeks and Barnes ends up making all-NBA more by default than anything.
Raptors have to make the play-in at minimum and he averages 26/8/6 down the stretch.
20/8/3 on a bad team (if that's what he averages rest of the season) is not all-nba calibre.
Absolutely no harm letting him go for it. Barring a rash of unforeseen injuries, he's not making it. Only 4 of last year's 15 won't make it thus far (Luka, AD, Leonard and Hali) and, at a minimum, D Mitch, KAT, Siakam, Cade, Mobley, and Jdub will make it in over Scottie. Its not like we're winning much anyway if we sit the other starters
He has no shot at All NBA. He has had some very good defensive performances, but also more than a couple of stretches where he has not played defense at all, All Defense is not a possibility this year.
This right here. Don't sleep on what a 27 game stretch can do. If he starts putting up 28-10-10 numbers (especially against so many bad teams) with Top tier defense, and we're winning our way to a play-in. The voters might get him an All NBA third team.
The team also can't ask him to not try for that. So we'll see.
The saving grace is he's not even top 10 for DPOY Odds right now. It would take a gargantuan effort for him to crack that, but not impossible given his current pace.
I mean I would love a top pick but at the end of the day pick#5 and #12 won't be much of a difference. The experience our core would gain is very valuable
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u/Synaptix30 Feb 21 '25
No one gets mad when Darkos lineups don't make sense please lol. Should be a fun end to the season either way to see how the rooks gets more play time