Scottie Barnes Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Raptors Notes: Recent Slide, Barnes, Ingram, Battle

December 6th, 2025 at 11:10am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Raptors have lost four of their last five games and were pummeled by Charlotte on Friday, 111-86. Head coach Darko Rajakovic suggested after the blowout defeat that he felt the schedule caught up to his team — it was Toronto’s fifth game in seven nights.

“Physically, we were worn down,” Rajakovic said, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN (Twitter link). “I’m really proud of our guys tonight. We tried. But when you’re trying and you’re missing layups and wide open shots, it’s hard to keep it up. We didn’t quit. We continued fighting but we didn’t have enough in the tank.”

We have more on the Raptors:

Rajakovic believes Scottie Barnes should be a contender for the Defensive Player of the Year award, per Lewenberg (Twitter link). “He’s guarding point guards, wings, fives. He’s doing it all,” the coach said. “There’s a reason why he was voted Defensive Player of the Month and he needs to be in consideration for Defensive Player of the Year. Obviously it’s early in the season but he’s trending that way.”
Brandon Ingram has suffered a number of long-term injuries over the course of his career, but he’s not a fan of load management. He expects to play every night that he’s healthy this season, Lewenberg tweets. Ingram has appeared in all 24 of the Raptors’ games so far this season, averaging 20.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 33.8 minutes per contest. “It’s intentional to not miss games because I have no reason to,” Ingram said. “If I hear from the training staff and they tell me my body doesn’t look good, I’ll listen. But so far, my body’s been feeling good. I’m doing everything in my control to be ready for games.”
Jamison Battle suffered a left ankle sprain in Friday’s game. X-rays were negative and he’s considered day-to-day, Lewenberg tweets.

Nikola Jokic, Cade Cunningham Earn Player Of The Month Honors

December 2nd, 2025 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Pistons guard Cade Cunningham are the NBA’s Players of the Month for October/November, earning the honor for the Western and Eastern Conference, respectively, per an announcement from the league (Twitter link).

It’s the ninth time that Jokic has won a Player of the Month award over the course of his 11-year career. He earned it in this case with a superlative start to the season that saw him comfortably average a triple-double – 28.9 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 10.9 assists per game – while leading Denver to a 14-5 record.

Jokic’s shooting percentages were arguably even more remarkable than his per-game averages, as he shot 63.7% from the field and converted 45.3% of his three-point attempts.

The Nuggets star came out on top of a competitive field that included nominees like fellow MVP candidates Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder and Luka Doncic of the Lakers. Clippers guard James Harden, Rockets center Alperen Sengun, Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, Lakers guard Austin Reaves, and Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards were also nominated for Player of the Month in the West, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

In the East, meanwhile, Cunningham’s Pistons have been one of the most pleasant surprises of the season’s first six weeks. While Detroit was viewed as a strong playoff contender, few NBA observers expected the team to win 16 of its first 20 games and sit atop the Eastern Conference at the end of November.

Cunningham was the driving force behind the Pistons’ hot start, averaging 28.8 points, 9.4 assists, and 6.4 rebounds in 36.8 minutes per game across 17 outings, while shooting 45.6% from the floor and 81.5% from the free throw line.

Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Bulls guard Josh Giddey, Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Heat guard Norman Powell, Magic forward Franz Wagner, and Knicks teammates Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were also nominated for Eastern Conference Player of the Month, which Cunningham won for the first time in his career.

Scottie Barnes, Cason Wallace Named Defensive Players Of The Month

December 2nd, 2025 at 2:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors forward Scottie Barnes is the Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month for October/November, while Thunder guard Cason Wallace won the award for the Western Conference, according to an announcement from the NBA (Twitter link).

Barnes led the surprising Raptors to a 14-7 record through the end of November, and the team posted the NBA’s sixth-best defensive rating (111.5) during that time. According to the league, the versatile 6’8″ forward ranked fourth in the East in deflections in October/November (4.0 per game) and was the only player in the NBA to rack up at least 30 steals and 30 blocks.

Wallace, meanwhile, is one of many standout defenders on a dominant Thunder team that went 20-1 with a remarkable 103.6 defensive rating in October/November. Oklahoma City was three-and-a-half games better than any other NBA club during that time, and its defensive rating was nearly seven points per 100 possessions better than that of the second-place Rockets (110.3).

While the Thunder’s defensive performance is a team effort, Wallace led the NBA in steals per game (2.2) to open the season and also had more deflections per game (5.0) than any other player in the West, despite playing a relatively modest 28.6 minutes per contest.

It’s the first time that either Barnes or Wallace has won the Defensive Player of the Month award, which was introduced at the start of last season. According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other players nominated in the East were Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley, Heat big man Bam Adebayo, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, and Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart — Mobley and Daniels each earned Defensive Player of the Month recognition twice last season.

In the West, Wallace’s Thunder teammates Luguentz Dort and Chet Holmgren were also nominated. Rockets guard Amen Thompson was the only non-OKC nominee in the conference.

Raptors Advance To NBA Cup Quarterfinals

November 21st, 2025 at 10:21pm CST by Rory Maher

The red-hot Raptors became the first team to advance to the NBA Cup quarterfinals after beating the lowly Wizards by 30 points on Friday, the league announced (via Twitter). Toronto has now won six straight games and is currently 11-5, while Washington holds the worst record in the NBA at 1-14.

As Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes, the Raptors secured the No. 1 seed in East Group A with their win and Cleveland’s victory over Indiana. Toronto previously defeated the Cavaliers and Hawks in group play and holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over both of those clubs.

The Raptors set a franchise record in the third quarter by scoring 48 points, Koreen notes, blowing the game open in the process. Brandon Ingram (24 points, eight rebounds, six assists), RJ Barrett (24 points, eight rebounds, four assists), Scottie Barnes (23 points, five rebounds, three steals), Sandro Mamukelashvili (23 points, seven rebounds in 21 minutes) and Immanuel Quickley (17 points, seven assists, zero turnovers) all had productive outings for Toronto.

“I think there’s a lot more to come … I’m getting comfortable being me,” said big man Mamukelashvili, a free agent addition over the summer (Twitter link via Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca).

Head coach Darko Rajakovic said the Raptors “have a mission and desire” to host a quarterfinal game with an opportunity to advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas, tweets Grange, and the team is in strong position to do so given its point differential (+53) and 3-0 record. Its last matchup of the group stage is against Indiana next Wednesday.

According to Grange (Twitter link), 13 of the 16 teams that advanced to the knockout stage over the past two years went on to make the playoffs, and the other three were at least involved in the play-in tournament. That could bode well for the Raptors, who haven’t made the postseason since 2021/22.

Raptors Notes: Ingram, Barnes, Mahlalela, Mamukelashvili

November 20th, 2025 at 12:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors faced some criticism last season for trading a first-round pick for injured forward Brandon Ingram and then signing him to a three-year, $120MM extension despite the fact that he wouldn’t go on to suit up for his new team at all in 2024/25. However, the organization’s investment in Ingram is paying dividends this fall, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca writes.

While Ingram’s stats so far this season – 20.9 points and 3.9 assists per game on .496/.302/.878 shooting – don’t necessarily jump off the page, Lewenberg contends that the veteran forward has reshaped Toronto’s offense more significantly than any player since Kawhi Leonard. Ingram has breathed new life into the Raptors’ half-court offense and attracted the sort of attention from opposing defenses that has made it easier for his teammates to operate, Lewenberg adds.

“(Other teams) know how dangerous he is,” teammate Scottie Barnes said. “He draws so much attention. He’s so talented. Once he gets to his spots, it’s unstoppable.”

With nine wins in their last 10 games, the Raptors sit in second place in the Eastern Conference at 10-5 and have the league’s seventh-best offensive rating (117.8) after placing 26th in that category last season (109.6). Toronto also has a great opportunity to continue its hot streak, with games against the East’s bottom four teams – Washington, Brooklyn, Indiana, and Charlotte – on tap before the end of the month.

Here’s more on the resurgent Raptors:

Barnes has been up and down since entering the NBA as a fourth overall pick, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2022 and an All-Star nod in 2024 while taking small steps back in his second and fourth years. He’s playing at an All-Star level once again in year five, prompting Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca to consider whether the 24-year-old can become a legitimate superstar. As Grange points out, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Garnett, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the only players in NBA history who have maintained Barnes’ current per-game averages in points (19.2 PPG), rebounds (7.8), assists (5.3), blocks (1.7), and steals (1.4) over the course of a full season. Barnes is also shooting 50.0% from the floor and 38.9% on three-pointers in the early going.
Confirming a recent report from Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), Grange writes that Raptors assistant Jama Mahlalela is a finalist for the New York Liberty’s head coaching job. Sources tell Grange that the process has been going for “a while” and that interviews are complete, as of this past weekend. If Mahlalela is hired by New York’s WNBA team, it would create a hole on Toronto’s staff and could create a conflict for Team Canada, Grange notes, since Mahlalela has been announced as an assistant on the national team’s staff through the 2028 Olympics.
An under-the-radar offseason signing on a minimum-salary contract, center Sandro Mamukelashvili has been giving the Raptors terrific minutes off the bench, providing the team with much-needed depth behind starter Jakob Poeltl, says Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Mamukelashvili intends to make the most of his first consistent NBA rotation role. “I tell myself that you waited for this opportunity for four years, and no matter what, you go out swinging,” he said. “In Georgia, we have a saying: ‘You don’t risk it, you don’t drink champagne.’ So you’ve got to make sure you come out swinging. I tell that to myself every game.”

Raptors Notes: Barnes, Shead, Ingram, Record, Schedule

November 16th, 2025 at 10:38am CST by Rory Maher

After a disappointing 1-4 start, the Raptors have been on a tear ever since, winning seven of their past eight games to improve to 8-5. Thursday’s win in Cleveland was the team’s most impressive victory of the season, and Scottie Barnes was the best player on the court, recording 28 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and five blocks in 35 minutes.

“I know what I’m capable of, so just gotta bring that every single night,” Barnes said, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. “Be aggressive, attacking downhill, being aggressive on both ends, and I was just helping my teammates a lot. If someone gets beat just trying to be help for them. So just doing those things on both ends. Once I’m aggressive, then I’m attacking downhill and just drawing the defense on me and being able to kick out. You know, just opens up a lot for our team.”

If Barnes continues to play at the level he has lately, the Raptors will be a dangerous team in a seemingly wide-open Eastern Conference, says Eric Koreen of The Athletic. As Koreen writes, Barnes may have been miscast in the past as a No. 1 offensive option, but the acquisition of Brandon Ingram has allowed Barnes to showcase his all-around skills and push the ball hard in transition.

“When you look at 28 points, eight assists and the offensive stuff, it’s easy to identify he had a good game,” head coach Darko Rajaković said. “He does so much more for us — defensively with five blocked shots, (the) deflections that he’s creating, rotations, how he’s covering for us defensively. He’s doing an outstanding job for us.”

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Barnes was effusive in his praise of 2024 second-round pick Jamal Shead after Thursday’s game, Grange adds. “When he steps on the floor for us, he’s a game changer,” Barnes said of the second-year guard. “We had a lot of games this year where offense looks slow, comes in the game defensively, offensively, changes that entire game. It’s like a little boost, like a little sense of like ‘we’re ready to go’ when he steps on the floor. He changes the game with his offense, defense, be able to get downhill, make those extra reads … he’s super important for our team. He’s been a leader every single day. It’s his, what, second year in the league? And I feel like he’s one of our main leaders.”
While the starters are still getting used to playing with each other and the defense remains an issue, the offensive attention Ingram draws due to his half-court shot-making has created scoring opportunities for his teammates, Koreen writes for The Athletic. “The reality of it is we haven’t really had a player like him with his play style in the past couple years,” center Jakob Poeltl said after Tuesday’s win at Brooklyn. “(There are) a lot of new situations for us that everyone is trying to get used to. Considering where we are in the season … I think we’re doing a good job.”
The last time Toronto was three games above .500 was February 2022, when Barnes was a rookie, notes Grange of Sportsnet. It’s been a while since the Raptors were a solid team, but Barnes is optimistic about the future. “It’s been a long time, man,” he told Grange. “I know we’ve probably been struggling here in Toronto, but I’m happy and we’re super blessed to be in this position. But we can’t take nothing for granted. It’s still a grind; we got to still stay hungry. Just because we’re over .500, that don’t mean nothing.”
As Grange observes in another story, the Raptors have a favorable schedule over their next four games, with upcoming matchups against the Hornets (4-9), Sixers (7-5), Wizards (1-11) and Nets (1-11), giving the team an opportunity to move further up the standings.

Atlantic Notes: Robinson, Pritchard, Barnes, Poeltl

November 8th, 2025 at 4:01pm CST by Rory Maher

The Knicks and veteran center Mitchell Robinson did not engage in any advanced discussions about a potential contract extension prior to 2025/26, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link), who is skeptical that a deal will come together during the regular season.

Still, assuming he’s healthy, Robinson should have plenty of suitors if he hits free agency next summer, Begley reported on The Putback.

“The most likely path here is Mitchell Robinson … hitting free agency and then seeing what the market is like,” Begley said. “There’s going to be teams with cap space. If he’s healthy, he’s going to be very attractive on that open market.

“Maybe the Knicks surprise me, and they do get a deal done in-season. … If he has this impact on the floor when he’s healthy, even though the Knicks are limiting him, teams know what he can do and he’s continuing to show it.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

In an extensive interview with Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Celtics guard Payton Pritchard discusses his “relentless” desire to constantly improve his game. “I look at the word ‘relentless’ as a means to define who I am,” Pritchard told ClutchPoints. “It is an undying hunger to always keep getting better and better. Always striving for more. I am obviously very grateful for everything I have and will never take it for granted, but that relentlessness in me is always pushing for more. It’s always about getting to that next step in your career, life, or whatever it may be. Every day is a new opportunity to get better, and I live by that mindset. It’s a major reason why I’ve found so much success in my role with the Celtics.”
Raptors forward Scottie Barnes is off to a strong start to the season, particularly on the defensive end of the court, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. As Koreen details, Barnes is at his best when he’s wreaking havoc as a weak side roamer — he is currently the only player in the league averaging at least 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game (he’s at 1.6 in both categories). “He’s been doing it for a long time, so there’s not much new there on the defensive end,” head coach Darko Rajakovic said. “He’s just getting even more experienced. He’s getting to know the league and tendencies of the players even better. Scottie is a big part of our scouting preparation.”
Raptors center Jakob Poeltl will miss Saturday’s game in Philadelphia due to lower back injury management, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. It’s the second night of a back-to-back for Toronto, which won on the road in Atlanta on Friday for the team’s fourth consecutive victory following a four-game losing streak. The Raptors are currently 5-4.

Raptors Notes: Ingram, Barrett, Murray-Boyles

October 26th, 2025 at 12:21pm CST by Rory Maher

Former All-Star forward Brandon Ingram has become something of an afterthought around the league after battling a variety of injuries in recent years. He was limited to just 18 games last season, largely due to a severe ankle sprain, and didn’t play at all for the Raptors in 2024/25 after being acquired from New Orleans in a February trade.

“There was a time when I did not necessarily lose love for the game, but I just had a lot of uncertainty,” Ingram told Eric Koreen of The Athletic. “Going on two months, three months with the ankle. ‘When am I gonna be healthy again?’ That dawned on me a little bit. … I was like, ‘Damn, I don’t know when I’m going to be back to my normal self.’”

Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca also takes an in-depth look at Ingram, writing that the 28-year-old decided to make several changes this offseason to try and be more available in 2025/26. Despite publicly coming across as nonchalant at times, Ingram is known for being a focused and relentless worker behind the scenes.

“I think most of my injuries have come from overworking,” Ingram said. “I don’t know how to stay out of the gym. Every day, I want to do a two-a-day. So, it’s about knowing when to rest, when to be out on the floor, when to go hard, when certain days are mental days. It’s all about that … I’m just trying to do everything I can do that’s in my control.”

According to both Koreen and Grange, Ingram has established himself as a leader on a young Raptors team, both on and off the court. The former No. 2 overall pick says he’s not trying to prove any of his doubters wrong, but rather prove himself right.

“I know my own vision for where I want to be and that’s at the top of the league,” Ingram said, per Grange. “I keep that in my mind. You work for it and you wait for it to show up. Eventually things are going to take a turn, and it’s going to be the most beautiful thing ever.”

Here’s more from Toronto:

While turnovers (4.5 per contest) have been an issue, Ingram has otherwise gotten off to a solid start with the Raptors, averaging 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steal on .472/.333/.800 shooting through two games (32.0 MPG). “What I was most impressed with was how poised we were on the offensive end,” Ingram told Koreen after Wednesday’s season-opening win in Atlanta. “When the game slowed down and we had to go into our execution, everybody was poised and we just got the best shot.”
Guard/forward RJ Barrett was eligible for a contract extension before the season began, but his agents didn’t have serious discussions with the team about a potential new deal, according to Grange, who says the Raptors want to get a better idea of how Barrett fits alongside Ingram and Scottie Barnes before deciding what to do with him going forward. “Realistically, those things don’t really happen until the end of the season anyway,” Barrett said about extension talks. “I’m not really thinking about it. OK, I lied, I’m thinking about it. But more so I’m trying to focus on winning and making an impact here. When you do that, that’s how the rest gets taken care of.”
Lottery pick Collin Murray-Boyles is inching closer to making his regular season debut. He’s considered day-to-day with a right forearm strain, Grange writes, and is officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest in Dallas. No other Raptor appears on the injury report.

Raptors Notes: Barrett, Ingram, Barnes, Quickley, Murray-Boyles

October 2nd, 2025 at 8:33am CST by Dana Gauruder

RJ Barrett heard the trade speculation surrounding him this summer as the Raptors shopped around for another star player.

Barrett has two years and $57MM remaining on his contract and would have been a logical trade piece in a blockbuster deal. There has also been talk of how his skills and that of Brandon Ingram‘s could overlap, so he wasn’t surprised or upset over the rumors, he told Josh Lewenberg of TSN.

“Obviously, this is the place I want to be,” the Canadian forward said. “I would love to finish my career here. This is my home. But I think that, with it, is understanding the business aspect of it. And if you look at contract situations and all that, it makes sense to put my name in there, right? So, I don’t take that personally. People are just looking at numbers, looking at figures, looking at everything, and that’s kinda what would make sense. So, I don’t have any ill will or ill feelings towards that. All I can do is play my game and try to help the team win because at the end of the day, what negates all that, if the team is winning there’s no need for any of that.”

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Speaking of Ingram, he’s thrilled to be healthy after missing most of last season due to an ankle injury, Michael Grange of Sportsnet writes. “I’m just excited to bring my skill level and make things easier for other guys,” Ingram said. “Play-making, scoring the basketball, defense, getting steals, going on the other end, and just having fun. It does feel like a fresh start, all the new faces, new coaches, learning new things. So hopefully I can show my full game.”
The team’s star, Scottie Barnes, has a playoffs or bust mentality heading into this season. “I think our expectation of our team is definitely to make the playoffs and win some games in the playoffs,” he said. “That’s the standard, that’s the bottom line with how talented we are and what we should be able to achieve. We’re hungry, we’ve got a lot to prove and we’re gonna go out and show it.”
Barnes has given serious thought to suiting up for the Jamaican national team in the future, Libaan Osman of the Toronto Star tweets. “That’s definitely something I’ve been thinking about doing,” he said. Barnes has won multiple golds representing Team USA in age group ranks, hasn’t played for the USA’s senior national team.
Immanuel Quickley is focused on staying on the court this season after appearing in just 33 games last season due to injuries in 2024/25. “Spent a lot of time on the track this summer,” he said. “So I’ve been been trying to, you know, up the condition a little bit. And then every season I look to get stronger every summer. And I always take that part of my game serious. Even though I look a little skinny, I feel like, you know, (stronger).” (video link)
Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles plans to bring an “edge” defensively to fit in with his teammates. “Really, just my mindset coming into it, it’s really just what I can give these guys?” he told Grange. “Obviously, I want to give them the hardest time on (defense) … that’s how I’m making them better, especially the offensive heavy guys that the offense flows through. I want to make it as hard as possible on them, so it’s easier for them in the games. So just trying to bring an edge to the team, just trying to figure out how I can contribute.”

Raptors Notes: Webster, Pritchard, Roster Moves, Rotation

August 19th, 2025 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors announced on Monday that they’ve decided not to fill the president role formerly held by Masai Ujiri, with Bobby Webster hanging onto his title of general manager as he takes over as the team’s permanent head of basketball operations. That’s fine with Webster, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca relays.

“On the title, what’s the best way to put it? The title, to me, probably isn’t as important as the responsibilities,” Webster said. “I’m really thankful for this opportunity. I’ll make the most of it and that (not getting the president title) is not something that concerns me.”

While Webster seems unfazed by not being named the Raptors’ president, he’s still expected to have a chance to earn a promotion to that position based on how he handles his new responsibilities, Grange adds.

“This is his chance,” a source close to the hiring process told Sportsnet. “Show (us) he’s the president. It’s a process. It’s all about the rebuild, it’s all about the strategy going forward. Can Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes become an incredible duo? How do you manage the tax situation we’re currently in?

“At the end of the day, it will be about Bobby making the right decisions moving forward. He’s (40 years old) and he’s got every quality that you want representing your organization. Now, it comes down to wins and losses, building the reputation of the brand and dealing with the salary cap.”

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Grange hears from sources that Toronto formally interviewed Pacers president Kevin Pritchard, former Kings general manager Monte McNair, and former Raptors coach Dwane Casey for its president role, while Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca reports that Pacers GM Chad Buchanan and Bulls GM Marc Eversley also interviewed for the job. Pritchard was believed to be the candidate that intrigued the Raptors the most, but “prying him away from the Pacers proved difficult,” Grange writes.
While Webster believes the roster the Raptors have put together is ready to “make the next step” in 2025/26, there’s skepticism around the NBA about some of the moves the team has made in recent years. According to Grange, one Eastern Conference executive questioned the team’s investments in Immanuel Quickley (five years, $162.5MM), Ingram (three years, $120MM), and Jakob Poeltl (three years, $84MM): “I know sometimes you have to pay a premium for players in Canada, but that much?” Another rival executive, per Grange, suggested there’s an excess of wings on the roster and a lack of depth at point guard and center. “They have a lot of nice pieces,” that executive said. “It’s just not clear how they all fit.”
Some of the executives who interviewed for the Raptors’ president job were among those questioning the club’s recent personnel decisions, according to Lewenberg, who says one of those external candidates referred to the Ingram trade as a “desperate Hail Mary.”
Eric Koreen of The Athletic previews what the Raptors’ rotation might look like this fall, projecting Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jamal Shead, and Collin Murray-Boyles to be the top options off the bench behind a starting lineup of Barnes, Ingram, Quickley, Poeltl, and RJ Barrett.