The Toronto Raptors have spent most of their offseason waiting on the Kawhi Leonard-Los Angeles Clippers situation to finally be resolved, and with the NBA now finalizing its decision on Leonard and the Clippers’ punishments, that deal is expected to become official in the coming days.
But while that process dragged on, another Raptors issue quietly turned into a much messier one: RJ Barrett.
Barrett is in the final year of his contract, and Toronto has still not made a move on his future. The Raptors technically still have time to work out an extension during the season, but training camp is nearly here, and the team’s attention now has to shift back to basketball. That leaves Toronto in a tricky spot with Barrett, especially with title aspirations in 2026-27 and two other contract situations also on the radar: a likely extension once Leonard arrives, and Jamal Shead’s upcoming RFA status.
What makes this so frustrating is that Barrett’s situation never really needed to reach this point. The offseason was chaotic, yes, and no one could have predicted how long the NBA’s investigation would hold up Leonard’s arrival.
But that doesn’t change the fact that Toronto never settled on a Barrett plan. Now the Raptors are stuck with a real risk: Barrett could leave next offseason for nothing, or he could put together another huge year and push his price even higher before his June 30, 2027 contract extension deadline.
There was a case to be made for moving him, too. After the playoff run he put together, Barrett’s value may have been as high as it will ever get.
He averaged 24.1 points per game, shot 38.6 percent from three, and delivered a game-winner in Toronto’s first-round series against the Cavaliers. That was the kind of stretch that could have brought back two quality rotation pieces or an upgrade at the starting two-guard spot, which would have fit the roster better.
Instead, Toronto has done nothing: no extension, no trade, no resolution.
And that leaves the Raptors in the uncomfortable place of having possibly burned both avenues this summer. The team may not love Barrett’s fit next to Scottie Barnes and Leonard, but it’s still clear they’re better with him than without him. Now the question is whether this standoff has already done damage to the relationship between Barrett and the organization.
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Kawhi's Toronto Reunion Is Still Stuck For One Serious Reason
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Still, the trade remains unfinished, and the silence from both sides has only deepened the uncertainty around it. Toronto has not publicly confirmed anything, and there is no sign of a formal renegotiation, even as the Clippers sort through the fallout from the leagues punishment and potential legal options. For now, the idea of Leonard back in Raptors colors is alive, but the hold-up is serious enough to keep the whole thing in limbo. [Read more 🡒]
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Last seasons defense was a major part of that case, with the team finishing near the top of the league on that end and giving itself a chance in nearly every matchup. Toronto was also still part of the small group of teams in championship contention when its postseason ended, which is a reminder that the gap between a solid playoff team and something more dangerous might not be all that large. [Read more 🡒]