Kofi Inkoom
Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes who underwent surgery to repair a fracture in the third metacarpal bone of his left hand in early March has received injury update regarding his availability for the remainder of the season.
Although he has been able to engage in light on-court activities in recent weeks, he remains sidelined for contact drills and is unlikely to return to play this season, with only three games left, including two road games in Miami.
Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković provided an update on Wednesday, saying Barnes is progressing well in his recovery but returning to play this season is considered possible but not realistic.
Before this update, Barnes was seen practicing shooting with a brace on his left hand during Monday’s practice session before the Indiana Pacers game.
However, he was only performing stationary shooting, indicating that he still has several hurdles to overcome before being cleared for game action.
While there is optimism regarding Barnes’ potential return as per headcoach Darko, it is more likely that he will only be available next season.