There is so much to like about the first half of Scottie Barnes’s rookie NBA season. And so much more he can give.
The passing belies his youth, the shooting is better than many experts had expected, the defence is as advertised, And when it comes time to tally the rookie of the year ballots in a few months, the Raptors forward will figure significantly in the counting.
Yet there is more the Raptors could get, more they want, more they need from a 20-year-old gaining invaluable experience on a team in the thick of an Eastern Conference playoff race.