The Toronto Raptors had one hell of a preseason against the Washington Wizards on Monday. The game was a textbook display of dominance by the Dinosaurs. The final scoreline saw the Wizards crumble with a 98-125 defeat against RJ Barrett & Co. In fact, the 24-year-old shooting guard was the top scorer for the Raptors. Securing 17 points in the 14 minutes that Barrett got on the court, undoubtedly added to the team’s win. But, with a sudden turn of events, it looks like the Toronto Raptors need to reshuffle their squad for the rest of the preseason games. Why?

RJ Barrett injured his shoulder during the second quarter of the game against the Wizards. He immediately checked out and went to the locker room. Unfortunately, the audience did not see Barrett return to the court after that. On further observation, the Raptors announced on Tuesday that the Canadian swingman will miss the remaining preseason slate. To be precise, the SG “has a sprained right acromioclavicular joint, which is a joint where the collarbone meets the shoulder blade at the top of the shoulder,” the team reported.

Meanwhile, the Raptors have informed that they would give further updates on RJ Barrett’s injury after the preseason. This brings us to the critical question of whether the Canadian hooper would be able to play against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 23. It’s the Raptors’ opening game for the regular season. They wouldn’t want to miss having Barrett on the team.

RJ Barrett’s injury could further hurt the Toronto Raptors’ already shaky core

Barrett delivered a strong performance against Washington, shooting 7-of-10 from the field and scoring 17 points in just 14 minutes before he got injured. So, it is not hard to guess that the 24-year-old star is a crucial key for the team. Therefore, the shoulder sprain is nothing less than a bad omen for the Toronto Raptors. Meanwhile, the list of injured plays keeps extending for the team beyond the north borders. Is this a major concern? Is that even a question?

RJ Barrett injured himself while navigating a screen set by Washington’s Jonas Valanciunas. This adds him to the injury list, alongside Bruce Brown, who is out after arthroscopic knee surgery. Brown is set for a reevaluation, but expectations are low. He’s likely to miss the start of the regular season. If healthy, Brown could have filled in for Barrett. Meanwhile, Raptors rookie Ja’Kobe Walter suffered the same injury as Barrett right before training camp. He’s waiting on the bench for his chance to shine for the Raptors.

So, right now Ochai Agbaji is the possible replacement for RJ Barrett at the Raptors, at least for the preseason. Barrett was a crucial player for the Raptors last season, averaging 21.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. He forms a key part of Toronto’s core, alongside All-Star guard Scottie Barnes and guard Immanuel Quickley. Therefore, the team is bound to feel RJ’s absence in the upcoming games. Where will the Raptors stand without their 24-year-old shooting guard?