Raptors Nation missed RJ Barrett a lot after he sustained a knee sprain that turned out to be more serious than initially thought. Now he's back (and the vibes are too), but Barrett was sidelined for 15 games, which translated to about five weeks of missed NBA action. During that period, his absence was noticeable in many aspects of the Raptors' game.
However, before his injury, I felt the RJ Barrett narrative was progressing very well in the October and November sample, especially considering that many had written him off as expendable and unnecessary for this roster. The thought process going into the 2025-26 season centered on how Toronto would decide what to do with Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, and RJ Barrett in the starting lineup. Each of them is a different player in their own way, but there was concern that they might overlap and struggle to play well together.
How has RJ Barrett's season shaped up to this year-end point?
But I was pleasantly surprised by the effort Barrett put forth to shut down his critics, in a sense. So far in the 2025-26 campaign, RJ Barrett's stats show an average of 18.9 points on 50.0 percent field goal shooting, 35.9 percent from three, 70.7 percent free throw shooting, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. These numbers are based on 18 games played and an average of 30.5 minutes per game.
Even with a high-usage player like Brandon Ingram joining the fray, Barrett's numbers are only slightly down from the 2024-25 season. Especially in the early part of the 2025-26 campaign, I noticed that Barrett stood out as one of the most efficient contributors, even boldly stating he was perhaps their 'best' player.
Now, moving on to his negative sides, I still think it is extremely important for Barrett to improve his free throw percentage. It is at an okay level but could be much better, which is a strange flaw that continues to be his kryptonite.
Additionally, in this new role, Barrett should be able to develop as a more team-oriented defender and buy into that aspect of the game, since the offensive load is no longer solely on his shoulders — sometimes teetering between the third or fourth option. Finding ways to put Barrett on the floor and figuring out where he can impact the game beyond just scoring will be a significant benefit for Toronto and for the 25-year-old Canadian’s long-term career.
Keeping him healthy will also be a major factor, because missing 15 games already in the 2025-26 campaign is quite a significant stretch, and it actually marks the longest time Barrett has been sidelined with an injury. Furthermore, Barrett's future in Toronto will continue to attract attention into 2026, as he is due for an extension. Even with his steady role alongside the starters, it remains to be seen whether Toronto is fully committed to keeping him around.
Overall, based on what I’ve seen from Barrett's performances in the 2025-26 season so far, I have far more positive observations than negative.
Grade: B+
*All stats courtesy of Basketball Reference and NBA.com, unless otherwise noted