What RJ Barrett injury means for Raptors moving forward

Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett could miss some time with a knee injury.

RJ Barrett of the Toronto Raptors dribbles against Justin Champagnie of the Washington Wizards. | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett is recovering after spraining his knee in the team's 119-109 win against the Brooklyn Nets at Scotiabank Arena.

Barrett played 20 minutes and scored 16 points on 4 of 8 shooting from the floor before exiting in the third quarter. Barrett was playing well and his injury allowed the Nets to creep back into the game, so the Raptors are definitely not in as great of shape without him on the floor.

Barrett's status for the team's next game against the Cleveland Cavaliers is in doubt as he is about to undergo more imaging and tests. This could mean Barrett won't be on the floor for multiple games.

Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett shoots the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

What's next for Raptors?

Barrett has a spot in the starting lineup that would need to be filled if he were to miss time. There are a few candidates for the role.

Collin Murray-Boyles is a natural option because he has come into the starting lineup earlier in the season for Jakob Poeltl. The rookie forward is viewed highly and the Raptors may feel he is the best fit to fill Barrett's shoes.

Another option could be Sandro Mamukelashvili, who started in place of Jakob Poeltl in the win against the Nets. Mamukelashvili and Poeltl would give the Raptors a double-big lineup, which isn't typical for them, but against a team like the Cavs that boasts Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, it may be worth experimenting.

The Raptors could also give Ochai Agbaji another chance in the starting lineup. Agbaji was sidelined for a few games with a back strain, but he's back in action and getting a better feel of the floor with an average of five points and 15 minutes per game in his last two outings.

Agbaji drew a start on Nov. 8 against the Philadelphia 76ers when Poeltl was injured, so it's another repeat of a situation for the Raptors potentially.

No matter what direction the Raptors go in when it comes to replacing Barrett in the lineup, his value will be hard to cover. The Raptors will need everyone in the rotation to add a little bit extra in order to cover for Barrett's absence.

The Raptors should hope they Barrett isn't out of commission for a while because he has been a big part of the operation early in the season and their ceiling isn't as high without him.