Scottie Barnes Discusses Ailing Ankle as Return For Raptors Nears

The Toronto Raptors are optimistic Scottie Barnes will be back in the coming days as he works his way toward a return from a scary right ankle injury

Dec 9, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) reacts after injuring his leg during the second half against the New York Knicks at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

When Scottie Barnes crumpled to the floor clutching his right ankle after a scary fall against the New York Knicks last week, it was hard not to fear the worst. Less than a month had passed since Barnes returned from an orbital bone fracture, and it looked like he was going to be sidelined again.

But despite reports suggesting Barnes would miss several weeks, the 23-year-old All-Star is nearing a return and may be ready to suit up Thursday night against the Brooklyn Nets. His recovery has been quicker than expected, providing a much-needed boost for a Raptors team decimated by injuries this year.

“It feels pretty solid,” said Barnes, who was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice. “Getting a lot of good movement on it.”

Barnes admitted the first few days were tough. He wore a walking boot the day after the injury and was in considerable pain, but the discomfort eased quickly. Since then, he’s ramped up his rehab, returning sooner than anticipated.

Injuries have unfortunately become a recurring theme for Barnes early in his career. He’s dealt with multiple ankle sprains as well as fractures in his hand and face. While none are considered long-term concerns, the repeated setbacks have highlighted how vital his availability is for the Raptors.

“Can’t do nothing about it to be honest,” Barnes said who will continue to wear protective goggles when he does return to the court. “Everything happens for a reason. I got hurt, so be it. Take that time off and come back. Just got to learn from it.”

The Raptors clearly need him back. Toronto has stumbled to a 2-11 record without Barnes this season, exposing their lack of depth in the frontcourt behind him. His playmaking, scoring, and defensive versatility have been missed, as the Raptors continue to search for cohesion during a rebuilding year.

That said, they’re not fully healthy yet. Toronto will still be without Jakob Poeltl on Thursday as he deals with a groin strain that has him "day-to-day," the team said. Immanuel Quickley remains sidelined with a UCL sprain, and Bruce Brown’s timeline for a return remains unclear.

“It has to be a mentality of next man up and it has to be a collective effort,” coach Darko Rajaković said Wednesday as the team prepares to make do without Poeltl. “It’s very hard to replace his offensive and defensive rebounding and his size and disruptiveness he has on the defensive end, so everybody else has to do a little bit more.”