Raptors’ RJ Barrett Out Indefinitely After Suffering Shoulder Injury

A tough break for the Toronto Raptors (or a positive one, for those on the Tank-for-Cooper Flagg bandwagon), as they've announced that star forward RJ Barrett is out for an undetermined amount of time due to a right acromioclavicular joint sprain.

The Raptors say RJ Barrett is out for at least the rest of the preseason with a right acromioclavicular joint sprain, which he suffered against the Wizards over the weekend in Toronto’s preseason opener in Montreal.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) October 8, 2024

Barrett, 24, suffered the injury late in the second quarter of the Raptors' 125-98 preseason victory over the Washington Wizards on Sunday.

For now, the team has said that he is out for at least the rest of the preseason, but it depends on the severity of the sprain.

So what is an "acromioclavicular joint sprain"? It's a "pushing of the shoulder blade away from the collarbone, stretching or tearing the ligaments that support the AC joint" per Mass General Brigham.

Past history of NBA players with this type of injury put absences at anywhere from two weeks to eight weeks—again, depending upon the severity.

Barrett came over to his hometown team in the OG Anunoby trade with the New York Knicks last season, and had an impressive debut with Toronto, averaging 21.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while shooting 55.3% from the field and 39.3% from three-point range in 32 games.

He is one of the key pieces of the rebuild for the Raptors, and his scoring will obviously be missed for however long he is out.