TORONTO, CANADA – APRIL 3 : RJ Barrett (9) of Toronto Raptors in action during the NBA basketball game between Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors at the Scotiabank Arena on April 3, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Anadolu via Getty Images
The Toronto Raptors have a roster that is both intriguing, and gushing of implosion vibes, all at the same time.
During the trade deadline, the organization traded for Brandon Ingram, and have since handed him an extension worth $40 million per year, despite the presence of both Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett, offering up the obvious question: How are they all going to play at the same time?
More than likely, they’re not. They might start together, and play spot minutes together all three, but mostly they’d have to get their minutes staggered.
It’s also not out of the realm of possibility that the Raptors decide to pivot off one of their wings, in order to gain more roster symmetry.
As Barnes is viewed as a foundational piece for the Raptors, and Ingram has yet to play a single game for the franchise, odds are good Barrett will be the one to get shopped down the line.
What do the Raptors need?
Assuming Barrett is shopped, the Raptors are going to need a few things, starting with more shooting.
As Barnes is not yet a natural long-range shooter, and Ingram a reluctant one, it stands to reason the Raptors should look at players who can help space the floor, both off the dribble, and off the catch.
Chicago’s Coby White, and Boston’s Derrick White, would be interesting candidates, although a deal with Chicago would be easier to facilitate given the salary attached to Coby ($12.8 million), than that of Derrick’s ($28.1 million).
A player who can take over a more traditional off-guard spot, and who doesn’t need the ball in his hands, would be a strong get for Toronto, even with the presence of Gradey Dick.
Secondly, it wouldn’t hurt the Raptors to get more size. Jakob Pöltl is a fine starting center, who improved offensively last season, but if they could identify a real floor-spacing power forward or center, with legitimate size, that would provide them with more options to put around Barnes and Ingram, as they function as the primary shot-takers.
What would a team get in Barrett?
Any team that trades for Barrett must understand what they’re getting back, and what they’re not getting back.
When he was moved from New York, in the OG Anunoby deal, Barrett saw a drastic difference in his own utilization when he arrived in Toronto.
He’d spent years playing guard in New York, where he was frequently guarded by quicker players.
In Toronto, he was re-envisioned as a forward, and one more inclined to up – to power forward – than down to shooting guard.
This had a ripple effect, as the Raptors could have one more playmaker on the floor along with Barrett, and it allowed the 6’6 wing to function more as a playmaking four, than an off-ball guard.
Barrett has seen an increase in scoring efficiency since the move, and his game is at least closer to being unlocked than it was in New York.
He’ll always come with a level of limitation given he’s not a natural shooter, which could hurt his trade market, but in the role of playmaker, slasher, and playing up a position, he can be utilized by teams around the league.
We’ll see when the Raptors make a call on his future, or if the trio end up working out.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mortenjensen/2025/08/26/rj-barrett-trade-could-help-streamline-the-raptors/
