Toronto Raptors swingman RJ Barrett sustained a sprain to his right acromioclavicular joint late in the second quarter of the team’s preseason game against the Washington Wizards on Sunday. The team announced on Tuesday that he will miss the remainder of the preseason.

At 24, Barrett was traded from the New York Knicks to the Raptors last season in a deal that involved OG Anunoby just before the trade deadline. The Toronto native made a significant impact during his time with the Raptors, playing in 32 games and averaging 21.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 55.3 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from three-point range.

There is optimism within the organization that Barrett can become the next All-Star talent on the wing for the franchise. However, this AC joint injury raises concerns about his availability for the start of the 2024-25 season.

Currently, the Raptors have not provided a specific timeline for Barrett’s recovery, only confirming that he will miss the remainder of the preseason. Typically, recovery from AC joint injuries in NBA players takes a minimum of two weeks, but more severe sprains can lead to absences of six to eight weeks or longer.

The exact severity of Barrett’s injury remains undisclosed, and the Raptors plan to provide further updates on the rising star’s status as necessary.

RJ Barrett’s Injury Raises Questions About the Raptors’ Future

The Toronto Raptors finished the 2023-24 season with a dismal 25-57 record, marking the franchise’s worst performance since winning only 23 games in the 2011-12 season. Since capturing their lone championship with Kawhi Leonard in 2019, the Raptors have struggled to find consistent success. While Scottie Barnes has emerged as a promising star in the Eastern Conference, the team is clearly in a rebuilding phase—a sentiment that Masai Ujiri openly discussed at the start of training camp.

“I would use the word rebuilding; that’s the right word. I think we have a clear path now going forward,” Ujiri stated. “We have a young team that’s growing, and I think we set a path. We went into the draft last year, acquired some young players, and want to continue building this team around Scottie, who is just 23 years old. In sports, you always want to be competitive and play to win, but this is a rebuilding team, and I think everybody sees that.”

Aside from Barnes, who received a five-year, $225 million extension this summer, the Raptors have also secured Immanuel Quickley at the point guard position. Quickley, acquired in the same trade as RJ Barrett last season, earned a five-year, $175 million contract during the offseason.

With Quickley and Barnes now under contract as long-term cornerstones for the franchise, attention turns to Barrett. Although he has three years remaining on his current deal, including the upcoming 2024-25 season, Barrett has yet to make the leap to become a consistent star.

Barrett is undoubtedly a talented player who has showcased his potential on the court. However, he still needs time to adjust to playing alongside Barnes and Quickley in Toronto. If he is required to sit out at the beginning of the season due to his recent shoulder injury, the development of both Barrett and the Raptors will inevitably be stalled.