Raptors' Scottie Barnes lesson should be a warning sign for Toronto Tempo

"The Raptors expect a lot from Scottie Barnes- perhaps too much. They need him to be a scorer and playmaker as well as an almost flawless defender at multiple positions. That pressure on Barnes only increased in the playoffs. With Immanuel Quickley sidelined with a hamstring injury and Brandon Ingram struggling to produce even before a heel injury kept him out for the last few games, Barnes had to take his scoring to another level."

"There's a thin line between pushing your star player to be the best they can be and burning them out due to too many responsibilities. The playoffs showed the Raptors that they need to get Barnes some more help on the offensive end of the floor."

"The Tempo are putting Sykes in a similar position to what Barnes had to do for the Raptors. Scottie Barnes is a capable scorer, but not a traditional number-one option, and his most natural ability to impact games is as a versatile defender. The Tempo's first star signing, Brittney Sykes, fits a very similar mould."

"For most of her career, she made her living in the WNBA as one of the top perimeter defenders in the league and a second or third offensive option at most, relying on her athleticism and ability to get to the rim while struggling to knock down 3-pointers. Now that she's in Toronto, she has had to fill a much bigger role than that over her first four games. She is the team's leading scorer and playmaker and go-to defender against other teams' best guards-she has to be for the Tempo to win, but it's a new territory for Sykes."

Scottie Barnes is expected to score, create offense, and defend at a high level across multiple positions. Playoff circumstances increased that burden when Immanuel Quickley was sidelined and Brandon Ingram struggled and missed games. The Raptors’ situation shows a need for more offensive help so Barnes is not forced into too many responsibilities. Toronto Tempo are facing a similar challenge with Brittney Sykes, who is being asked to do everything to compensate for roster gaps. Sykes previously thrived as a perimeter defender and a secondary or tertiary scoring option, with limited three-point production. In Toronto, she has become the leading scorer and playmaker and the primary defender against top opposing guards, requiring a major role expansion.

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