ESPN has named two Raptors forwards as making their list of the top-20 players in the NBA. It’s great to see Toronto finally standing amongst the big dogs of the league, both from a media perception perspective, and a roster construction one. The front office is doing the right things, and the outlets are in agreement.
The Kid and the Klaw
Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard were ranked at 17th and 15 best in the league, overall, by ESPN, both ahead of players like LeBron James, Tyrese Haliburton, and Devin Booker. This
is chalked up to Barnes’ two-way play, and Leonard’s scoring, with both players able to contribute significantly on both ends of the ball, unlike some of the players ranked below them.
They both saw massive upticks in their ranking compared to those from last year’s list: Barnes jumped 13 spots, from 30th in the league to 17th, while Leonard leapt up five, from 20th to 15th.
Their placement in this list is almost perfect, though it may seem strange to see a two-time All-Star ranked higher than four-time MVP LeBron James. But, this list is tracking the ascension of Barnes into a franchise cornerstone, a fact that after his playoff performance last year, cannot be ignored. They call Scottie a “do-everything engine”, which sums up his place on the Raptors, and in the NBA, extremely well. Barnes’ versatility is one of his key strengths, and especially in the postseason, having someone who can score, guard, rebound, and pass is key to surviving some of the league’s tougher matchups, especially on a team without a top-tier centre.
What Kawhi brings to the table is, of course, a little different. Centrally, Leonard is someone who the Raptors need to score without being a defensive liability, a role he should take to like a fish to water. ESPN puts an asterisk on Leonard’s placement, noting that he “hasn’t advanced past the first round since 2021,” and “must prove he can still crank it up in the playoffs.”
Fighting for position
Kawhi is ranked just below Jaylen Brown and Kevin Durant in the list, two big stars who have had notable playoff struggles in recent years as well. No one is doubting the performances of any of the three, but ESPN even point to Brown potentially fighting for touches in a stacked Philadelphia roster as a potential drain on his output going forward. The “too many cooks” situation is a reality for Philadelphia, with a number of ball dominant players all together on one roster, something that Kawhi Leonard will not face in Toronto.
The article also points to Durant’s combination of leadership and consistent output over the past seven years, facts than cannot be ignored. Durant is many things, but inconsistent is not one of them. What the Slim Reaper brings to the table is something that should be be ignored, but for roster construction, Kawhi Leonard is undoubtedly the better fit for Toronto.
Nevertheless, ESPN’s article isn’t necessarily about team success, rather, about which individual players are the “best”. And maybe, if the Larry O’Brien went to the winner of a 1V1 tournament, Kevin Durant would have ten of those things. But, thankfully, while basketball is a star dominated sport, it’s also one where players succeed as teams and fail as individuals. It’s five guys out there on the court every night, and if Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes and two of those five, odds are that they’re going to beat you. By a lot.
Still, it’s gratifying to see both Scottie and Kawhi climb the ranks, with the young star ascending in the eyes of the public, and the older veteran getting to relive his glory days yet again. After a playoff push this year, the two Raptors might jump up even higher in the rankings, but ultimately, that’s for the guys on the court to decide.
