Although the calendar shows 22 games remaining, the Raptors’ season came to an end on Friday night in Toronto.
When a groaning Scottie Barnes rushed to the locker room to have his aching left hand examined during the second quarter of an eventual loss to the Golden State Warriors, there was still some hope of a run at the Eastern Conference’s final play-in position. However, imaging revealed that the all-star and new face of the franchise had suffered a fractured finger, which was wrapped.
The Raptors collapsed without Barnes against the Warriors, and the team will be unable to make up enough ground (four games behind 10th-place Atlanta and two behind 11th-place Brooklyn) without its best player. Even if Barnes returns before next October, he will undoubtedly miss the vast majority of the remaining games this season.
Fractured metacarpals take time to heal, longer if surgery is required (it’s unclear whether Barnes will need surgery), but long enough in either case. Also, why would the Raptors rush Barnes back at this point?
Even if the finger recovers fast, the Raptors’ offseason will be well underway by the time he resumes game action. It’s best to just shut him down and give him the time he needs to prepare for a busy summer of work as he pursues another all-star selection next season.
So, what happens next for the Raptors?
