Scottie Barnes has yet to make an All-Star team. Given his massive improvement, could his third year be the one where he gets the honor?
Barnes is going to have a lot of competition in a crowded East frontcourt. It's safe to say that Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum are locks to make the team. That leaves Barnes fighting with players like Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Julius Randle, Kristaps Porzingis, Franz Wagner and others for the two remaining reserve spots and up to two positionless wild card spots.
Despite all of that talent, Barnes should get named to the team as a reserve. Here are three reasons why.
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Three reasons why Scottie Barners deserves his first All-Star selection in 2024
1. He has turned into a good offensive player
Barnes isn't one of the elite offensive engines in the East like Tyrese Haliburton or Giannis, but his improvement on that end of the floor has been remarkable.
Shooting was his biggest weakness coming into the year. After hitting only 29.0 percent of his 3s through his first two seasons, there was discussion on whether he could ever be a top player without a reliable jump shot.
That's no longer a valid criticism, as he's hit 38.6 percent of his 3s this season while almost doubling his volume to 5.3 per game. He's also become a massively improved long midrange shooter, going from 37.8 percent on those shots to 63.0 percent, per Basketball Reference.
The shooting has opened up the rest of the floor for Barnes. The scouting report used to be easy on him — sag way off and go under all screens. That's no longer a viable option. With teams now worried about his shot, he can attack closeouts and get into the paint more easily, where he is deadly.
Barnes has used that jumper to increase his efficiency, scoring and assists per game.
| Year | True Shooting % | Points | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 55.2 | 15.3 | 3.5 |
| 2022-23 | 52.4 | 15.3 | 4.8 |
| 2023-24 | 58.1 | 20.2 | 5.7 |
When combined with his elite offensive rebounding, where he ranks in the 90th percentile of players per Crafted NBA, he is putting up All-Star numbers.
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2. He has become an All-Defensive caliber player
Barnes was a solid defender through his first two seasons, but he struggled in the role that former head coach Nick Nurse was using him in, having to guard more speedy point guards on the perimeter.
Darko Rajakovic has taken some of that burden off Barnes, taking him off those matchups and playing a scheme that more heavily invests in protecting the paint. Barnes has more freedom to roam on defense, and that has allowed him to wreak havoc.
Barnes is truly elite at generating positive events on defense, whether that be via deflections (he's tied for 12th in the league), blocks (18th) or steals (3rd). His rim protection is elite. Opponents shoot 6.2 percentage points worse at the rim against him, and he's erasing attempts by flying in from the weakside to bail out teammates.
Looked like Zach LaVine had a clear path to the rim. Look at Scottie Barnes come flying in. pic.twitter.com/gh50i6q3ir
— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) November 25, 2023
Barnes is one of the more versatile players in the league, able to switch onto multiple positions more than capably.
Scottie Barnes' defense on four consecutive possessions to end the half, guarding everyone from PG to C: pic.twitter.com/qCtFIeKEG6
— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) October 18, 2023
There aren't many players capable of doing what Barnes does on defense. He's a truly special player in that regard, both on ball and as a help defender.
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3. He has an immense impact on the Raptors
At 10-15, the Raptors haven't been a great team, but they would be a lot worse without Barnes. He's easily been a top 12 player in the East and a top 24 player in the league in various all-in-one stats that attempt to measure on-court impact.
Here's how he ranks in the most reputable metrics.
- 17th in Estimated RAPTOR from Neil Payne (8th in the East)
- 9th in Basketball-Reference's Box Plus-Minus (4th in the East)
- 16th in Estimated Plus-Minus (6th in East)
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Barnes is one of those players who does a lot more than his raw box score stats show. He's constantly making small winning plays throughout the game, even when he's not scoring.
His ability to get the Raptors moving in transition or prevent shots at the rim are skills that are tough to measure, but he's consistent in being able to add value there. He's also been one of the team's best shooters and facilitators, opening up better looks for teammates.
Barnes is going to have a tough case ahead of him because his game is more about nuance than the gaudy bucket-getting that often gets rewarded when it comes to individual awards. For those paying close attention, though, he's been a clear All-Star.
