RJ Barrett didn’t hide the fact that watching the Knicks win it all last season stung a little.
The Raptors forward, who was shipped from New York to Toronto during the 2023/24 season, told Donnovan Bennett of CBC Sports that he felt “a little salty” seeing his former team finish the job. Even so, Barrett made it clear he’s still pulling for the guys he used to share a locker room with.
“If anybody else were to win it (besides the Raptors), I’m happy they won it,” Barrett told Bennett. “You know, I still have friends over there.
I’ve called and checked on the guys, said congrats. One of the guys from the team (Trey Jemison) is actually on the Raptors now, so things are cool.
The mayor gave myself and (former Knick Immanuel Quickley) a shout-out. We’ll always have ties there.
Like I said, I’m very happy for them, but just hoping to bring some of that success over here.”
Barrett also opened up about the Raptors’ offseason move to bring in Kawhi Leonard, calling the chance to share a roster with the player who delivered Toronto its lone NBA title “surreal.”
“I’ve been a Raptors fan my whole life. I was getting ready for the draft when the Raptors won the championship (in 2019),” he said.
“When (Leonard) made the game-winner against Philly, I was jumping up and down. So from being a fan to now being able to play with him, that’s going to be so special.”
Around the Atlantic, there’s movement on the sidelines and in the front offices too. Drew Jones, who coached Raptors 905 for the past two seasons, is no longer with the organization, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Noah Lewis, who had been a player development coach in Toronto, was announced in July as the new head coach of the Raptors’ G League affiliate.
In Philadelphia, Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice took a close look at the Sixers before camp, including how much left Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has in the tank and five issues that could shape the season. Among the concerns: Joel Embiid’s and LeBron James’ availability, how the starting five will divide up the ball, and whether Philadelphia can count on either Adem Bona or Ariel Hukporti as its No. 2 center.
And in New York, the Knicks are making another staff addition. Ed Flynn, who spent the last three seasons as a video coordinator with the Pelicans, has joined Mike Brown’s staff and will serve as the team’s “challenge guy” in 2026/27, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post reports.
Flynn’s official title is assistant coach/special situations, a source told Bondy. Brown had repeatedly praised Jordan Brink for handling those challenge calls before Brink left this summer for an assistant coaching job in Chicago.
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Kawhi's Raptors Return Just Put Huge Pressure On This Core
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For Toronto, the fit is obvious in theory: defense, late-game poise and a player who has already delivered at the highest level in this building. The bigger question now is how much this core can absorb from Leonard's arrival and whether the organization can turn a short-term reunion into something that actually shifts the team's trajectory. [Read more 🡒]