RJ Barrett didn’t hide the sting of watching the Knicks win a title after he’d already moved on.
Speaking to CBC Sports, the Raptors wing said the result hit him at first, even if his feelings quickly shifted toward the people he still knows in New York. Barrett made it clear the success wasn’t something he could resent for long.
“At first, definitely felt a little salty in terms of how we lost, the Raptors lost in the first round, so that hurt. But if anybody else were to win it, I’m happy they won it.
I still have friends over there. I’ve called and checked on the guys and said, ‘Congrats.'”
He also pointed out that the connection between him and the franchise still runs deep.
“One of the guys from the team is actually on the Raptors now, so things are cool. The mayor gave myself and Quick a shout-out, so we’ll always have ties there. I’m very happy for them but hoping to bring some of that success over here.”
That’s the tension for Barrett: appreciation for what his old team accomplished, but no desire to sit and watch it from the outside for too long. Like former Knicks forward Julius Randle, he framed the reaction as personal disappointment rather than bitterness toward New York itself.
Now the focus shifts to Toronto, where Barrett is helping a young group that already showed real life last season. The Raptors finished 46-36 and grabbed fifth place in the East, even though their playoff run ended in the first round.
Barrett was a major part of that push, putting up 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 49.1% from the field. Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram were the headliners, but Barrett’s value came in the middle - steady, productive, and hard to ignore.
And with Kawhi Leonard back in the mix after seven years, the expectations around Toronto have only grown. Barrett leaned into that optimism when he addressed Raptors fans directly.
“Raptors fans, I know that we’re all excited from what we did last season and what we can do this year. It’s going to be an everyday grind! It’s not going to be easy, but you can expect for us to play our hardest.”
“I know we just added Kawhi to the mix, so you can expect some good basketball from us this season,” he added. “But at the end of the day, we’re going to need you guys.
We’re going to need your support. Being able to have you guys there cheering and stuff, it REALLY is detrimental to the other team, and it gives us such a boost.
We need you guys, for sure.”
That message fits the moment in Toronto. The Raptors have momentum, a young core, and now a bigger spotlight. Barrett’s job is to help turn that into something more than promise.
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Now the opening Bradley leaves behind is expected to be filled by Malachi Smith, a guard Brooklyn recently waived before Toronto steps in with a two-way contract. For the Raptors, it is a small but meaningful bit of roster churn, the kind that often says as much about how a team is sorting through its developmental pipeline as any headline move does. [Read more 🡒]
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At the same time, Barrett has already given Toronto one of its more memorable recent playoff moments, which makes the situation feel more complicated than a simple salary decision. The Raptors know what he can look like when the stage gets bigger, but the next step is less clear, especially with the possibility that his time in Toronto could reach a crossroads sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
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The cost, though, is what will keep this deal under the microscope. Leonards injury history makes any long-view bet feel uneasy, and Toronto also gave up important future draft flexibility to get him, a price that could sting if the current group does not mature into a true contender in time. It is the kind of gamble that can look bold in the moment and be debated for years after. [Read more 🡒]