Raptors coach Rajaković backs Scottie Barnes for NBA Defensive Player of the Year
New Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković wasn’t around the team when Scottie Barnes picked up his first major NBA award, winning the league’s Rookie of the Year in 2021-22.
But Rajaković is hoping that he’ll be around for the next one.
The Raptors’ head coach spoke highly of Barnes on Tuesday ahead of the team’s season opener tomorrow against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“I think one day he’s going to be Defensive Player of the Year. That’s something he wants to be, that he wants to develop into, and I’m going to do everything in my power to help him on that path,” Rajaković said of the third-year forward.
Rajaković backed Scottie Barnes as a future Defensive Player of the Year while also reminding reporters not to forget about Dennis Schröder’s defensive skillset: pic.twitter.com/rRNrmcBVAx
— Adam Laskaris (@adam_la2karis) October 24, 2023
Barnes averaged 15.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 77 games in 2022-23, to go along with 1.1 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.
As for what Barnes needs to do to hit the next level? His head coach has a few theories.
“Just continuing to learn the game, to learn the personnel, being able to guard multiple positions from point guards all the way to the fives, there is so much versatility with his game that it’s awesome,” Rajaković added.
The first-time NBA head coach told reporters at Tuesday’s practice that meetings with his players have been going well and that sorting out how exactly who’s going to be guarding their opponent’s top player on a nightly basis will be a “headache… in a positive way.”
“We have so many very many capable defensive players that deciding on the matchups [will be hard],” Rajaković said. “They’re going to say, ‘I want him! I want him!’” which is a good problem to have.”
Toronto tips off their season at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, with their matchup against Minnesota being broadcast on Sportsnet.
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