News: 3 days agoBarnes said Monday during his exit interview that he wanted to play at the end of the regular season, but there was still swelling in his surgically-repaired left hand, so the medical staff held him out for precautionary reasons, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun reports.
Spin: Barnes added that he doesn't expect to be limited during the offseason, so he appears firmly on track to lead the Raptors in 2024-25. The 2021 No. 4 overall pick was in the midst of a breakout campaign before breaking his left hand in early March. Across 60 appearances, Barnes averaged 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.5 blocks, 1.3 steals and 1.7 threes per game -- all career highs. He's eligible for a rookie scale contract extension this fall.
