Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes set some big goals for himself heading into the 2025-26 season. While he has already achieved one by becoming an All-Star, fulfilling some of the others, like winning DPOY, may prove to be a challenge.
For all intents and purposes, Scottie Barnes is regarded as an elite wing defender. To that point, former NBA player Tracy McGrady was also convinced of Barnes’ potential, as he selected the forward to win the DPOY award on a recent episode of “Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady.”
“I’m going with Scottie Barnes. I think Scottie Barnes is a candidate. He’s my frontrunner,” McGrady stated confidently.
“Of course, you’ve got Wemby [Victor Wembanyama]. You’ve got Cason Wallace. Cason Wallace is another good one. Those three right there for me is the guys for Defensive Player of the Year.”
When considering the other names on McGrady’s list, Scottie Barnes finds himself in some interesting company.
San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama is arguably the most versatile defender in the league at the moment. While boasting tremendous size and length, Wembanyama additionally possesses keen defensive instincts and terrific lateral quickness and athletic ability.
Along with Wembanyama and Barnes, McGrady also named Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace in his list.
Wallace’s rise as a threat on the defensive side of the ball has been a more recent occurrence, but it is not misplaced. According to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Wallace is one of the best defenders in OKC’s lineup. When considering the sheer depth of wing defenders on their roster, with the likes of Lu Dort and Alex Caruso in the mix, this is high praise.
While impressive in his own right, Barnes has not been noticed for his defense as much as the aforementioned players. Aside from the faith shown by McGrady, who happens to be a former Raptors player himself, the forward may not have much else going in his favor.
Scottie Barnes’ Chances Of Winning DPOY Are Slim
Currently, Victor Wembanyama is at the top of the pyramid as the favorite to win the DPOY award. With averages of 1.1 steals and a league-leading 2.7 blocks per game this season, the Spurs center is in a league of his own.
While Barnes is a versatile defender with terrific instincts, his defensive exploits are often overlooked because of Toronto’s own performances. While the Raptors still boast a solid defensive rating of 112.2 (6th in the NBA), considering that the standing isn’t as eye-catching as San Antonio’s (3rd in the NBA, 110.9), Barnes’ case is mildly weakened.
Despite this, Scottie Barnes’ defensive contributions have been noteworthy this season, averaging 1.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per game.
Given that he is among the few forwards to post more than 1.0 blocks and steals per game this season, he deserves more attention. Unfortunately, the talent depth in the DPOY pool is quite impressive.
Scottie Barnes currently finds himself in the fourth tier of contenders for the award, alongside players such as Amen Thompson and Dyson Daniels. With the likes of Evan Mobley, Bam Adebayo, and Chet Holmgren occupying the upper tiers of the pyramid, Barnes’ chances of winning the DPOY appear slim.
