Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes has only reached 58% of his potential, according to head coach Darko Rajakovic.

The Raptors lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but this young Raptors team showed plenty of grit as they took the veteran-laden Cavs to seven games, ultimately losing the series 4-3. The highly competitive series earned the team the respect and admiration of Cavs star James Harden.

One of the biggest reasons the Raptors nearly pulled off a massive first-round upset was the strong play of fifth-year wing Scottie Barnes. In seven games against the Cavs, Barnes averaged 24.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 8.6 assists in 39 minutes per game, while shooting 50.9% on his field goals and 38.1% from 3-point land. It was an eye-opening performance for Barnes, whose strong play during the series was praised by Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, with the legend favorably comparing Barnes to Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic.

Scottie Barnes Has High Potential

At the Raptors’ year-end media availability, coach Rajakovic was asked what he thought about Barnes’ year. Barnes, who will surely make the NBA All-Defensive Team and has an outside shot at the All-NBA Third Team, is still only firing at 58% of his potential, according to coach Rajakovic, who believes the sky is the limit for the two-time All-Star.

“58%,” Rajakovic responded when asked about recent comments he made suggesting Barnes had reached 60% of his potential as an NBA player. “I just realized there’s more room for growth.

“As you know very well, the way we use Scottie is so unique. We use him in post-ups, we use him in pick-and-rolls, as a help defender, as a screener. He’s amazing in transition. There is a lot of things that he’s done, just polishing those things and getting better in those things and getting in better condition, getting his body in even better shape, it’s just going to help his overall game. The experience he’s gaining, the confidence that he’s gaining, it’s just going to help him understand that there is more from him to give.

“For this summer, specifically, we are going to focus more on his skill development, on his ability to come out with a couple of moves, ball dribbling, be a better finisher at the rim, and to continue to working on his shooting as well. Pretty much his overall game needs to take another jump.”

Raptors Have Barnes Locked Under Contract For 4 More Years

The Raptors signed Barnes to a five-year, $225 million max contract in 2024, and after completing the first year of his deal, he still has four more years left on his contract. Given that he is still only 24 years old, the Raptors have Barnes locked down under contract for the start of the prime of his NBA career.

Barnes proved this season that he is one of the NBA’s best players, but he still has lots of untapped potential for even more growth, so the entire league needs to watch out for him. After having an incredible playoff run, look for Barnes to take his game to an even greater level this summer and then come back next season much-improved as the Raptors look to become a legitimate title contender in the Eastern Conference.