Scottie isn't going to be a #1 option superstar in this league

[Senbonzakura]

I bring this up to illustrate how imperative it is for this team to tank next season. We do not have a player on this team with the upside of best player on a championship team. Scottie's really good and I think he can be the perfect complimentary guy to an actual #1 guy similar to the guy who imo he is most similar to (Pippen), but he's not got the upside to be the #1 guy. The issue being that those guys are typically excellent at something and Scottie is sort of just really good at everything. He's not an elite shot creator, he's not really an elite finisher, he's athletic but not one of the top athletes.

I think it's clear we need to get our hands on someone who can become a top 5-10 player in the league and #1 option on a championship team, and the best way to do so is through the draft (whether that's actually drafting the player or using the draft asset to acquire said player in a trade). I think without that happening this team is on the highway to mediocrity.

[Clay Davis]

What about PG13? Jimmy Butler? Even Jayson Tatum? They've got the rizz of superstars but aren't/weren't top 3 at any of the components of being a #1 option that you mention. I guess the point is, though, that no, PG13, Jimmy, and Tatum aren't on the levels of true MVP offensive options... and that building a contender around them is more difficult than building one around a Kawhi, a Lebron, a KD, or a Curry.

Anyway, to answer your question, I don't think Scottie will ever be a #1 option superstar, but he can be a superstar in the mold of someone like Jimmy Butler or PG13. They need a running-mate at their own level rather than making due with a supporting cast that does it by committee (as the Raptors did in 2019, or the Mavs did in 2011).

[Indeed]

What about PG13? Jimmy Butler? Even Jayson Tatum? They've got the rizz of superstars but aren't/weren't top 3 at any of the components of being a #1 option that you mention. I guess the point is, though, that no, PG13, Jimmy, and Tatum aren't on the levels of true MVP offensive options... and that building a contender around them is more difficult than building one around a Kawhi, a Lebron, a KD, or a Curry.

Anyway, to answer your question, I don't think Scottie will ever be a #1 option superstar, but he can be a superstar in the mold of someone like Jimmy Butler or PG13. They need a running-mate at their own level rather than making due with a supporting cast that does it by committee (as the Raptors did in 2019, or the Mavs did in 2011).

Butler can get to the rim, he is more a guard.
Meanwhile, I am surprised Tatum isn't close to MVP level, and his shooting is pretty good.
Both of them are two-way player, they can defend multiple positions, not so much with Barnes.

[Tor_Raps]

We are so far away from even having these type of concerns that it honestly doesn't matter right now. Once we have a good enough team and can determine if Barnes is the reason why it can't go further then sure, we can discuss. Right now, you're just projecting aimlessly.

[SFour]

Yes Barnes will need a running mate....all the great players in this league have another great player by their side

[Raps in 4]

I think he can be a top-10 player in the league.

[NinjaBro]

Scottie's #1 running mate will be Ja'kobe Walter. Masai strikes gold again. You heard it here first.

"We need to trade Siakam for AJ Griffin before it's too late!" - PhilBlackson

[Jcity08]

All I want him to be is an elite quarter back on offense and a two-way player and generally a glue guy, his sheer size & strength are already advantageous for us.

We can always look for the running mate who will be responsible for scoring & taking the tough shots in crunch time.

[Clutch0z24]

Yeah even if he ever does reach that level of a true number one option it will take another 5 + years to see that progress....
Thats why right now while hes still developing into something its the most important thing that we build a roster up the right way so when he does eventually reach that point he has a legit player (s) with him by his side so we can be a real championship threat...

If we twiddle our thumbs or try and move the ship 2 fast before it gets to its destination we will sink before we can float...
That is why this year and maybe next year is crucial for the front office to go down the road of tanking for as high into the lottery you can get....Even if its top 7-8 im cool with it...Give yourself a shot to move up in the lottery to select a franchise player...
If you get a top 7 pick there are 7 players in the 2025 draft that have all star potential so im fine with it...

If Barnes reaches that level then we have a potential 2 man dynamic with 2 players growing into franchise players at the same time....Then thats when you look at multiple championship runs...

But if we are impatient and try to make the playins next year and get a 15th pick and draft a bench player....Your just shooting yourself in the foot...

[bonjovi0308]

Are you bored? Get a life dude

[___Rand___]

This is such an obvious thing, why even bother creating a topic? It's like asking "is the sun going to rise tomorrow?" or "is water wet?"

[Potential]

He doesn't need to. The Celtics best player Jaylen Brown had by far the best help in the nba and they won it all. Scottie will be in the same situation soon once we find our Tatum

[CPT]

I don’t think he can be, and I think this era will likely pass by fairly uneventfully.

That said, there’s always a ton of hindsight with these things. Aside from a select few generational superstars, everyone is a guy who can’t lead a team to a championship until he does. Hell, this is still being said about Tatum, but it’s not like people were talking about Brown as a “best player on a championship team” guy until recently.

Barnes can probably be the best player on a contender, and then it will be up to management/his teammates to get beyond that level.

[microjacklin]

don't get why people still stuck in this #1 option/#2 option staff
even LBJ this GOAT candidate player need Kyrie & AD to win the title in recent years,
do you consider Kyrie & AD level player is easy to find ?
Both of them will bes treat as #1 option if we have them.

[LoganAndWade]

[quote="CPT"]I don’t think he can be, and I think this era will likely pass by fairly uneventfully.

That said, there’s always a ton of hindsight with these things. Aside from a select few generational superstars, everyone is a guy who can’t lead a team to a championship until he does. Hell, this is still being said about Tatum, but it’s not like people were talking about Brown as a “best player on a championship team” guy until recently.

Barnes can probably be the best player on a contender, and then it will be up to management/his teammates to get beyond that level.[/quote]

These seem like contradictory statements

( the best player, on a contender .. would kinda HAVE to be a super star

[DemHeavyHands]

A lot of u will not be deserving of this moment smh

[bluerap23]

I bring this up to illustrate how imperative it is for this team to tank next season. We do not have a player on this team with the upside of best player on a championship team. Scottie's really good and I think he can be the perfect complimentary guy to an actual #1 guy similar to the guy who imo he is most similar to (Pippen), but he's not got the upside to be the #1 guy. The issue being that those guys are typically excellent at something and Scottie is sort of just really good at everything. He's not an elite shot creator, he's not really an elite finisher, he's athletic but not one of the top athletes.

I think it's clear we need to get our hands on someone who can become a top 5-10 player in the league and #1 option on a championship team, and the best way to do so is through the draft (whether that's actually drafting the player or using the draft asset to acquire said player in a trade). I think without that happening this team is on the highway to mediocrity.

Read up on survey bias

[TorontoBarneys]

Yeah he can be the best player on a championship squad. Barnes has superstar potential. Whether he reaches it is another matter.

He doesn't have to have the highest ppg on the team to be its most impactful player.

[Anticon]

At his best, he'll have Jokic type effect as a playmaker, dominant inside scorer and occasional jump shooter / 3 point shooter, that needs elite offensive talent around him.

Obviously he won't be Jokic caliber but I can see his role being similar. He'll need more pure scorers around him; main concern is whether the front office still wants to prioritize defence first physical prototypes when they need microwave type guys.

[Shakril]

No. barnes has not shown anything that makes me believe he can be a #1 option. But to be fair, this will be his first year as the clear #1 for the Raptors, so my opinion can change during the year.