RJ Barrett’s future in Toronto is starting to look like one of the Raptors’ bigger decisions, and the clock is already ticking toward the final year of his contract.
Barrett, 26, is in the middle of talks on a new deal with the Raptors, but nothing has been finalized yet. If the two sides can’t land on an agreement, Toronto could have a real incentive to explore the trade market rather than let the situation drag on.
The contract itself gives the Raptors a bit of flexibility. Barrett is due just under $30 million in the last year of his deal, which makes him easier for another team to absorb than a player locked into a bigger long-term commitment. On top of that, any team that acquires him would get his Bird rights, giving that club more room to pay him in free agency than rival teams could.
There’s also the basketball side of it. Barrett is entering the prime of his career, but his role in Toronto could change if Kawhi Leonard enters the picture next season through the proposed trade with the Los Angeles Clippers. If that happens, Barrett may not get the same volume of touches, and his numbers may not stay where they are now.
Even with his scoring average down from 2024-25 to 2025-26, Barrett quietly put together the most efficient season of his career. He hit just over 49 per cent of his shots from the field, and he did it while playing fewer minutes, which makes the production stand out even more.
Toronto also has enough wing depth to survive if Barrett is moved. Ja’Kobe Walter could be pushed from the bench into the starting five, and the Raptors have other options on the perimeter with Collin Murray-Boyles, Allen Graves and Scottie Barnes among them. In other words, they have lineups they can turn to even without Barrett on the floor.
If the Raptors do decide to move him, the return could come in more than one form. His expiring deal could be useful in a larger trade, especially if Toronto wants to chase a big man to add size behind Jakob Poeltl. Center help is thin on the market, but if a name becomes available, Barrett’s contract could be part of the answer.
Toronto could also simply target draft capital. Picks in a Barrett deal would give the Raptors another asset to use later if they decide to swing bigger on another move down the line.
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