Raptors’ Scottie Barnes suffers orbital fracture, will miss at least 3 weeks

On October 31, 2024By Littum

Toronto Raptors All-Star forward Scottie Barnes will miss at least three weeks with a right orbital fracture, the team announced Wednesday. He will then be re-evaluated and “his condition will be updated as necessary,” the team announced.

Barnes suffered the injury late in Monday’s overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets. After missing a short shot in the fourth quarter, Barnes pounced for an offensive rebound, catches an accidental elbow from Nikola Jokić. Barnes remained on the floor as the Nuggets went the other way and scored. The Raptors called timeout, with Barnes holding his face as he walked to the bench and eventually the locker room. The Nuggets forced overtime by scoring on their final three possessions, with Barnes either on the other end or completely off the floor.

After a tough season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Barnes posted three productive games in a row. He was one assist shy of a triple-double against the Nuggets and is averaging 19.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game.

The Raptors signed Barnes, 23, to a five-year, max-value rookie extension in the offseason. The deal starts at 25 percent of next year’s salary cap, but will jump to 30 percent if he makes an All-NBA team. That’s expected to be the difference between $225 million and nearly $270 million over the life of the deal. Barnes had to play a minimum of 65 games to be considered for an NBA honor this season.

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The Raptors have been hit as hard by injuries as any team in the league. Immanuel Quickley, the second player the Raptors gave to a long-term deal this offseason, suffered a pelvic contusion after a hard fall in the first half against Cleveland. The Raptors listed Quickley as questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets. RJ Barrett missed the Raptors’ last four preseason games and the first three regular season games with an AC sprain in his first game against Denver.

The Raptors have also been without key reserves Kelly Olynyk (back) and Bruce Brown (knee). Rookie Ja’Kobe Walter, the team’s first-round pick, suffered a sprained AC joint in training camp itself and is currently working with the Raptors 905, the Raptors’ G League affiliate.

Veteran Chris Boucher and rookie Jonathan Mogbo should see increased playing time in Barnes’ absence.

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(Top photo: John E. Sokolowski / Imagn)