Raptors continuing to make Scottie Barnes off-limits

The Toronto Raptors may explore the trade market — if they haven’t already — but opposing teams shouldn’t bother to ask about small forward Scottie Barnes. He won’t be available, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Actually, there truly are only four or five NBA players who can’t be traded, but that’s not what most GMs want you to think. They want asking prices to be high. But in the case of Barnes, the Raptors are likely telling the truth. He’s a fine young player and they probably wouldn’t be offered equal value in return.

So, don’t bother asking, seems to be what Toronto president Masai Ujiri and general manager Bobby Webster are saying.

That said, the Raptors very well could be open to moving the expiring contracts of standout big man Pascal Siakam and forward OG Anunoby. But again, Barnes is the type of player around whom you build.

That is why, as Charania wrote, Barnes is considered “untouchable” and will likely remain that way up to the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

Barnes, 22, is 6-foot-8 and is averaging 19.8 points and 9.2 rebounds in his third season. Toronto selected him with the No. 4 overall pick out of Florida State in the 2021 NBA Draft.