The Raptors are retaining one of many higher younger gamers within the NBA for the lengthy haul.
Toronto is ready to award guard Scottie Barnes a five-year rookie supermax deal price as much as $270 million, based on ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The contract, which Barnes will signal July 6, makes him the highest-paid participant in Raptors historical past.
Barnes is assured $225 million, per ESPN, which might rank seventeenth in annual common worth (AAV).
He might turn out to be the fifth-highest paid participant within the NBA ought to he hit his incentives and attain the complete potential of $54 million AAV.
The 22-year-old turned in his greatest season this previous yr, bumping his factors per recreation to 19.9 and rebounds to eight.2 whereas securing his first All-Star nod on this third season.
The previous Florida State Seminole has been good all three seasons within the Affiliation, profitable Rookie of the 12 months in 2021-22 and averaging at the very least 15.3 factors per recreation in each season.
As a part of his rookie contract, Barnes was set to make just a little greater than $10.3 million throughout the 2024-25 season previous to hitting the open market in 2025.
The No. 4 general decide within the 2021 NBA Draft is the primary participant to signal a profitable contract in his class, with 2024 being the primary yr any of such gamers have been eligible for greater paydays.
In keeping with Basketball Reference, Barnes’ 15.9 win shares are the second-most in his draft class, trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley (19.3).
Regardless of Barnes’ stellar play, Toronto went simply 25-57 in coach Darko Rajakovic’s inaugural season, ending twelfth within the Jap Convention.
The Raptors, who traded Pascal Siakam to the Pacers and O.G. Anunoby to the Knicks throughout the 2023-24 season, went 3-19 of their closing 22 video games.
In locking down Barnes for the foreseeable future, Toronto can construct round a core that additionally consists of former Knicks guard/ahead R.J. Barrett.
The franchise’s key free brokers embody guard Immanuel Quickley and Gary Trent Jr.
Toronto will look to put the inspiration for its first playoff berth since 2022.
