Scottie Barnes makes a bold prediction for Toronto Raptors
It doesn’t take much to presume that the Toronto Raptors will be expecting a better season next year.
Playing their final game of the season on Sunday, the Raptors finished the year with a record of 30-52, tied for the eighth-worst performance of their 30-year franchise history.
In what team president Masai Ujiri officially deemed a rebuilding year before the season, few were surprised that Toronto found themselves on the outside of the playoff picture this season.
But particularly after a midseason trade for former All-Star Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans, the Raptors are hoping for a turnaround year next year.
With fourth-year forward Scottie Barnes one of the many players in attendance for the end-of-season team meetings at the team’s practice facility today, a strong prediction was made about his outlook for the future.
“I love our team. We got a lot of great pieces. We got what it takes. We got a great young core,” Barnes told the media today. “I expect us to be really good for sure, get into the playoffs and make a great run with the team that we have.”
But despite sharing his feelings about the team’s outlook for next year, he wasn’t as pointed as to what might be next for his own game.
“I think one thing about me, I don’t really go into situations and really expect certain things,” Barnes reflected. “When I first joined the league, I’m just coming from college. I was just super happy to be in the NBA. But my game is just constantly evolving. I’m constantly getting better, still getting bigger and stronger. You know, it’s fun [to see some personal growth].”
For most fans, the next official event involving the Raptors is the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery on May 12, where the Raptors will find out their order in the annual June event.
For the players themselves, many of them plan to be back in Toronto at some point in May for a few workouts and a check-in with the team’s staff once again.
One sign that the team is undergoing a phase of change is that Jakob Poeltl, at 29 years old, is the team’s oldest player currently signed for next season.
Like Barnes, Poeltl projected positive thoughts about the future of the franchise.
“I think our front office has shown that they want to build on that foundation quickly with the trade, like getting [Ingram]. Obviously, we still have to test this whole ship,” Poeltl added. “Hopefully over the summertime, we’ll get some time in together, like where we have everybody on the court together to kind of get that kickstarted, but I think I’m happy with where we’re heading and trending in the right direction.”