RJ Barrett posted a breakout season while generating frequent trade speculation around the NBA. Toronto faces a decision balancing Barrett's emerging scoring role with his roughly $30 million salary and overlapping wing/forward skill set. A contract extension looms, complicating roster construction alongside Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. Barrett's hometown status does not guarantee ideal long-term fit within the Raptors' projected core. League insiders identify Barrett as a plausible trade candidate, noting prior discussions with the New Orleans Pelicans during the Brandon Ingram negotiations. Barrett's representation understands his trade market visibility and potential interest from major buyers.
And we've talked about this before: RJ Barrett is certainly a name that I would tell you and Raptors fans to be on the lookout for as a potential trade candidate going out the door, with his roughly $30 million in salary, to go out and be a major buyer and see what they can achieve with RJ Barrett's salary. He was someone the Raptors discussed with the Pelicans in that Brandon Ingram trade conversation, which did not result in RJ Barrett heading out of Canada.
From an outside perspective, the simplest explanation for Toronto's quick decision to trade a player who has largely become one of the Raptors' primary offensive options is to ask: why act so hastily? Even if his journey to scoring 18, 19, or 20+ points wasn't always smooth or efficient, he still established a significant role on the team. I even highlighted the continued faith in his ability to be a complementary offensive piece alongside Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram moving forward.
Collection
[
|
...
]