After two seasons of the Raptors hanging in the 40-win range, the team committed to a rebuild in the middle of last season, trading away both Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. That effectively turned Barnes into Toronto's best player and building block of the future. He made his first All-Star game behind averages of 19.9 points on 48/34/78 shooting, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals. He took significant steps forward as a passer, three-point shooter and shot-blocker, helping him return second-round category league value on a per-game basis. It's expected to be another rebuilding season for the Raptors, led primarily by Barnes but also Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett. The latter two will get plenty of usage, but Barnes should remain the focal point. At just 23 years old and making significant strides in an advantageous situation, Barnes has the makings of a potential early-round sleeper. The conditions are present for him to sneak into the first round this season, though on teams with incentive to tank, there's always an inherent risk of late-season resting. In that sense, he's less secure as a fantasy asset than he might otherwise be.
