RJ Barrett Rumors (original) (raw)
With Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, the Raptors’ two lead playmakers, out of the lineup, Dick has stepped up behind RJ Barrett to be one of the team’s top creators. Even better: He has done it in a way that feels at peace with Dick’s normal game, and could scale down to fit in with a healthier version of the Raptors. “Yeah, he’s balancing it great. I think he understands that his shots, the amount of shots he takes, the type of shots he takes may change when IQ and Scottie get back and we’re whole,” said Temple, who has worked closely with Dick since last year. “But I think him playing in this role right now will do nothing but enhance our team. I think the confidence that he has as a player will be what it is, regardless of if he’s taking seven shots a game or 18 shots a game. And I think because he can play so well off the ball, he’ll be fine. The transition going from when he’s … the number one or two option to the number three or four option won’t be bad for him. “His ability to knock down shots and his ability to finish at the rim right now is what is going to allow him to really make us even more of an offensive juggernaut when those guys get back.”