NBA Analyst Shares Surprising Re-Draft Ranking of Raptors Star Scottie Barnes

NBA analyst Bill Simmons said he'd rank Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes as the sixth best player in the 2021 NBA draft class

Oct 28, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) heads up court against the Denver Nuggets during the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

It’s been a little more than three years now since the Toronto Raptors pulled off the surprise of the NBA draft, selecting Scottie Barnes with the No. 4 pick in 2021.

It was a decision that changed the course of franchise history in Toronto.

That’s not to say Jalen Suggs — the presumptive No. 4 pick that year — has been bad by any means. Suggs has flourished in Orlando as an elite defensive guard with a developing and at times effective three-point shot. But in Toronto, Barnes has turned himself into the face of the franchise, earning Rookie of the Year honors, and becoming the only player to earn an All-Star nod from the 2021 draft class.

And yet, not everyone seems to think of Barnes in that light.

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons ranked Barnes as the No. 6 player in the 2021 draft class on a recent episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast.” Simmons had Barnes behind Evan Mobley, Cade Cunningham, Suggs, Jalen Johnson, and Alperen Şengün, respectively, in his re-draft list of the top prospects from the 2021 draft.

NBA teams seemed to disagree with Simmons’ ranking this past summer when Barnes inked a max rookie extension with Toronto whereas none of Suggs, Johnson, and Sengun was offered a contract quite that lucrative.

Barnes’ injury to start this season may have put a damper on his ranking for Simmons, but the 23-year-old forward appeared to look as good as any in the group in his first few games of the year. Barnes was averaging 19.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and six assists per game through his first four outings before suffering an orbital bone fracture when he was elbowed in the face by Nikola Jokic.

Simmons’ comments are not the first time he’s been critical of Barnes who he thought was underserving of a max contract extension from the Raptors this past summer. Barnes had been the first player from his class to ink the deal. Simmons said Toronto should have negotiated harder with Barnes to avoid paying him his maximum allowable contract.