RJ Barrett makes his NBA season debut as the Raptors host the Nuggets

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The 24-year-old Mississauga native was in the lineup for the Raptors' home game against the Denver Nuggets on Monday after missing all but 14 minutes of the preseason and first three regular season games with a shoulder injury.

Barrett averaged 21.8 points along with a team-best 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists after being acquired from the New York Knicks last season. He had scored 14 quick points before facing a tough screen set from former Raptors Jonas Valanciunas in Montreal's opener against the Washington Wizards.

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Fellow starter Immanuel Quickley wasn't ready to return from his own injury. Barrett traveled to Minnesota for Saturday's game against the Timberwolves but did not play. Quickley remained in Toronto.

Toronto's next chance to finally have all five regular starters will come Wednesday in Charlotte, depending on how Quickley progresses. For Monday, Barrett pushed Ochai Agbaji back to the bench, while Davion Mitchell replaced Quickley again.

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Toronto is also missing veterans Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown, while rookie Ja'Kobe Walter is just starting Raptors 905 training camp after missing Raptors camp with the same injury as Barrett.

“He missed a lot of time, he missed all those pre-season games. I think it’s very good for him to do training camp with the 905,” Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said of Walter. “He'll be with us, of course, but it's also good for him to connect with his teammates on the 905 team and see them see how he trains, how he focuses and how he represents the Raptors on the team.”

“905 and Raptors are one team, coaching staff, they are interchangeable… We are a happy family and it is very important that the players see that and feel that too.”