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The Toronto Raptors find themselves in a bit of a weird spot in the 2022 – 23 season. They could easily be considered one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. In fact, Toronto made the playoffs last season as the fifth seed. However, there are many who question whether this team has hit it's proverbial ceiling for now.
The Raptors' quiet offseason only adds more fuel to this burning question. Barring the signing of Otto Porter Jr, the Raptors did not swing for any big moves. While the possibility of them going for a mid-season trade is possible, we can assume for the time being that this core will stay intact.
With that in mind, which Raptors player will be the X-factor for the team in the 2022-23 season? Which player will have the biggest impact on how this season plays out for the team? Let's take a look at the roster to find out.
Raptors X-Factor: Scottie Barnes
At this point, we can comfortably say that we know what the floor for this Raptors is. At the very least, Nick Nurse's squad is a playoff contender. Barring the weird season played in Tampa Bay, Toronto has made the playoffs for most of the last seven years. The question is… can this team go deeper than the first round?
For the Raptors to make it deep in the 2022-23 season, they'll need an X-factor to step up for them. They will need Scottie Barnes to go from phenomenal rookie to a star in his second season in the league.
Scottie Barnes wasn't initially well-received by some Raptors fans when he was drafted last season. That's not a knock on Barnes: his pedigree was welcomed by fans. However, many questioned whether he was the right fit, especially since he plays the same position as Toronto's top dog Pascal Siakam.
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As the season went on, though, fans started to realize why Masai Ujiri selected Barnes. The forward immediately showed that he was an elite jack-of-all-trades player who can fill any need for the team. His creative passing and elite defense endeared him to the Raptors fanbase, all while helping the team make the playoffs last season.
Should the Raptors get even just 80% of Scottie Barnes' performance, the team should be a lock for a Play-In spot at the very least. What makes Barnes the X-Factor, though, is that he has the capability to play an even bigger role for the team next season.
While Barnes was impressive last season, there was a fair share of criticism lobbed at the Raptors rookie. The easiest thing to point at, of course, is his three-point shooting. That was one of the biggest knocks on Barnes' game, and was a big concern with regards to his fit with Siakam. While he isn't a god-awful shooter (30% in his first year, 73% from the line), it would be great if he can bump those numbers up to league average at best.
Another area that could push Barnes towards being an All-Star next season is related to shooting, too. Barnes' offensive game wasn't as unpolished as draft experts made it out to be. However, his scoring still left a lot to be desired at times. Barnes would suffer through bouts of passivity during games at times. Developing a smoother scoring attack should open up more opportunities for the forward to find passing lanes.
The Raptors are already a damn good basketball team with their dynamic duo of Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam leading the way. If Scottie Barnes builds upon his weaknesses and becomes an All-Star level player this season? They'll be one of the toughest outs in the Eastern Conference.
