Barnes joins Raptors' camp ready to shoulder weight of expectations

MONTREAL — Scottie Barnes is back, but his on-court debut will have to wait.

The fourth-year Toronto Raptors all-star missed the first four days of training camp due to an undisclosed personal matter but was back on the floor Saturday for the first time with his teammates at the University of Quebec at Montreal.

But it will be a little while longer before Barnes gets on the court for game action. He will be held out of the first of the Raptors' five exhibition games when Toronto hosts the Washington Wizards at the Bell Centre on Sunday night.

“I wasn't here for a couple of days, and I think that's what's best,” Barnes said after practice Saturday. “Our decision.”

It’s been an uneven opening to the season in that respect for a Raptors team hoping to improve on a disappointing 25-57 record.

Not only has Barnes been out, but starting point guard Immanuel Quickley has been held out of live drills with a sprained thumb and will sit out Sunday’s game as well, and Bruce Brown – a potential fifth starter or sixth man – will be out until late November after having knee surgery last month.

Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic expressed no concerns that having three of his top six players out will be a setback, and rather, suggested that the extra minutes available have been beneficial as they try to identify and develop prospects who might fit in elsewhere on the roster.

“I think it was really an opportunity to see some other guys and some other guys to get opportunities,” said Rajakovic. “Those guys, they put a lot, a lot of work this summer, they fit in, you know, Scottie fit in in practice today greatly, you know, I expect the same thing with Quick when he comes back. I think it's setting up for success. So it's gonna just allow us to have more guys comfortable in their roles.”

According to team sources having Barnes back on the floor instantly raised the level of practice. The 6-foot-8 do-everything-forward allows the rest of the roster to fit together more seamlessly, a fit that should get even smoother when Quickley — the Raptors' most proven shooter and floor spacer — also returns.

In addition to scoring, passing, rebounding, steals and blocks — all categories he was leading the team in before missing the last 22 games of last season with a broken finger — one of Barnes’ primary contributions is as a vocal presence defensively. In his first practice back, it was noticeable.

“I mean, it's definitely improved compared to last season,” said Rajakovic of Barnes’ defence overall. “He's owning it much more. He's very ambitious to be recognized as one of the best defensive players in the league, and we are here to help him on the road.”

Barnes’s leadership role is also expected to expand after the departure of Raptors veterans Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby in the last year.

Barnes is letting it all unfold.

“I just sat back, talked to coaches, talked to the staff and talked to the people that I'm really close with,” he said. “They helped with those things a lot. A lot of the things I do well come right into place when I step out there on the floor. I'm a really high communicator when I'm out there on the floor. I like talking. When I see things I like talking about it as a team, as a unit. So a lot of those things come naturally. You just got to keep working on it.”

The Raptors have plenty of time to do just that given their regular season opener isn’t slated until October 25^th, but getting Barnes back on the floor — when it happens — will be a big step forward.