Toronto Raptors franchise cornerstone Scottie Barnes is facing mounting scrutiny early in the 2026-27 NBA season, as a troubling shift in his shot selection combined with an absolute zero-point disaster without Kawhi Leonard has forced head coach Darko Rajaković to publicly intervene.
Historically one of the league’s most force-of-nature interior scorers—converting at least 64% of his attempts in the restricted area across his first five NBA seasons—Barnes has surprisingly abandoned his rim-rattling identity in favor of contested mid-range jumpers.
Through the opening stretch of the campaign, analytical tracking from The Athletic’s Es Baraheni revealed a shocking stat: Barnes has attempted more mid-range shots (19) than restricted-area looks (15), converting just three half-court rim field goals across Toronto’s primary rotation minutes.
The 0-for-12 Nightmare: Failing the First Test Without Kawhi
The timing of Barnes’ perimeter experimentation could not be worse for Toronto, as superstar forward Kawhi Leonard is set to miss extended time due to persistent knee swelling.
In the Raptors’ first game without Leonard against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Barnes delivered what fans hope will be the single worst performance of his career:
- Complete Field Goal Freeze: Barnes went a miserable 0-for-12 from the floor, failing to score a single point from the field as Toronto’s primary focal point.
- Disappearing Act: The 25-year-old was uncharacteristically quiet across the board, pulling down just three rebounds and dishing three assists in a flat performance.
- Turnover Troubles: The goose-egg outing followed a 28-point, 14-rebound display against the Washington Wizards that was severely marred by eight costly turnovers.
Rajaković Steps In: “We Need Scottie to Live in the Paint”
When questioned directly during practice media availability about Barnes falling in love with mid-range jumpers, Darko Rajaković admitted opposing defensive schemes—particularly Washington’s game plan—were intentionally baiting the All-Star into taking lower-value perimeter shots.
However, Rajaković made it crystal clear that Barnes must return to his bullying, rim-attacking style if Toronto is to survive Leonard’s absence:
“We also dealt with a little bit of different schemes from teams… They really allowed him and invited him to shoot a lot of mid-range shots, and he was very efficient shooting those shots.
“There’s always talking about what is that balance, right? We do need Scottie to live in the paint and then to score at the rim, and he just needs to put an emphasis on that game.”
Rajaković emphasized that collapsing defenses in the paint isn’t just about Barnes scoring—it is the catalyst for his elite playmaking, opening up easy dunks for Jakob Poeltl and Collin Murray-Boyles while kicking out to Toronto’s perimeter shooters.
The Franchise Savior Must Answer the Bell
Averaging 17.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists through his initial games, Barnes’ box score stats look respectable on paper, but Toronto requires superstar-level dominance to stay competitive in the Eastern Conference.
With Leonard out and the Raptors entering a critical stretch of games, Barnes must abandon the low-efficiency mid-range jumpers, unleash his physical tools inside the paint, and prove he can lead Toronto as a true centerpiece.
