Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett. Should the Raptors be good?

[Real Men Wear Green]

Looking up the next Celtic preseason game (it's tonight) I thought about Toronto a little and it occurred to me that they have 3 wings capable of averaging 20 points. I could swear that there was a time when having that much talent meant that you had one of the best teams in the league. No longer true but does anyone think the Raptors having three such guys means anything?

[Xiao Yao You]

Means they should be competitive in a weak conference

[FultzNationRISE]

Roster looks absolute trash IMO, not entirely sure what Ujiri was thinking in his final years there, it's like he got secretly replaced by an incompetent stunt double.

[MrFonzworth]

I don't like any of those guys.

That being said would trade Embiid for either one of them in a heartbeat.

[ShawkFactory]

Ingram and RJ both tend to need the ball and don't play defense well at all. Scottie is good and can grind but will him being a point-forward work with two guys who generally need the ball to thrive? Because he can't shoot.

They also aren't deep. If everyone stays healthy, which is unlikely, they could maybe win 45-47 games but not anything to threaten the top of the conference.

[n00bie]

I don't like any of those guys.

That being said would trade Embiid for either one of them in a heartbeat.

As a Raps fan, I wouldn't even trade a washing machine for Embiid.

[beasted]

Looking up the next Celtic preseason game (it's tonight) I thought about Toronto a little and it occurred to me that they have 3 wings capable of averaging 20 points. I could swear that there was a time when having that much talent meant that you had one of the best teams in the league. No longer true but does anyone think the Raptors having three such guys means anything?

The sum of the parts doesn't always equal the total.

The Miami Heat also have 5 guys who are in their prime and have averaged 19 or more points in the last 5 seasons: Herro, Bam, Wiggins, Powell, Rozier.

But, I still expect them to struggle despite what projects as a likely above average defense again (Miami has not finished worse than 11th defensively for the last 10 seasons).

I think Raptors are in the same boat vying for a play-in spot.

[ralph_i_el]

20 ppg is the new 15 ppg. Plus, Ingram and RJ are both better on-ball than off. I'm honestly not too familiar with Barnes' game. I've heard lots of good things about him, and that he has been basically untouchable in trade talks. Is he going to be a star?

[ShawkFactory]

20 ppg is the new 15 ppg. Plus, Ingram and RJ are both better on-ball than off. I'm honestly not too familiar with Barnes' game. I've heard lots of good things about him, and that he has been basically untouchable in trade talks. Is he going to be a star?

Probably not ever a #1 on a title team or anything because he doesn't shoot all that well but he's good at everything else. Big, long, athletic guy with point-forward skills. Good vision and overall instincts, good defensive potential but hasn't shown it quite yet because he had to do so much offensively on a bad team. He could peak as like a Pippen-type.

[k0kakw0rld]

Championship

[Real Men Wear Green]

Championship

They can beat SGA?

[Axe]

Championship

[Full Court]

Raptors may make the first round of the playoffs. That's about the extent of their potential.

And Axe is a stinky loser. Stinky stinky.

[ralph_i_el]

Probably not ever a #1 on a title team or anything because he doesn't shoot all that well but he's good at everything else. Big, long, athletic guy with point-forward skills. Good vision and overall instincts, good defensive potential but hasn't shown it quite yet because he had to do so much offensively on a bad team. He could peak as like a Pippen-type.

Sounds like a guy that wouldn't be a good fit with Ingram/RJ.

[ShawkFactory]

Sounds like a guy that wouldn't be a good fit with Ingram/RJ.

Nope not really