The Toronto Raptors' pursuit of a second NBA Championship appears to be taking a similar route as the first time, with Bobby Webster making a splash to acquire Kawhi Leonard. This deal is an exciting one for Raptors fans and the organization as a whole, but it comes with some questions, and there’s no bigger question than what’s next for RJ Barrett.
The Mississauga kid is coming off an impressive second full season with the Raptors and an unreal playoff run that saw him really step up as the team's No. 2 option. With Brandon Ingram's struggles and Scottie Barnes needing someone to alleviate some of his offensive workload, Barrett jumped in and was Barnes’ right-hand man. This run left many fans feeling that an extension had to be in place for the hometown man and that he should be a staple in the Raptors' next era of basketball.
But now, with Leonard returning and Barrett being someone who thrives on the ball but struggles off it, questions have been raised about his fit with this new direction. The counterpoint to that argument is that, with Leonard having health issues and inevitably sitting out certain matchups, Barrett gives Toronto another offensive creator they can rely on.
A dilemma that needs to be solved before next season
With a lot of things in sports, patience is key, but for the Raptors, time really isn’t on their side. Leonard recently turned 35 and likely has only one, maybe two, years of elite production left in his tank. So maximizing those two years with a roster and situation that best suits him is crucial if you’re Bobby Webster. This is where this whole conversation about trading or keeping Barrett comes in.
The pros of keeping him are that when Leonard is missing games or resting to be at 100 percent for the playoffs, Barrett can shoulder the secondary scoring role alongside Barnes. We saw how important it was for Pascal Siakam to play that role next to Kyle Lowry during Leonard's first run with Toronto in 2018-19.
Barrett also showed in last season's playoffs that he can be a postseason riser. He averaged 24.1 points per game and shot 38.6 percent from three, which is incredibly valuable for a Raptors team hoping to go on a deep run into the postseason in 2027.
The last pro that stands out with keeping Barrett, and this one isn’t solely tied to Leonard, but Barrett is one of the few players in the league who would be willing to stay long-term with the Raptors. As a hometown kid in the prime of his career, keeping him around could help keep the window with Leonard open.
On to the cons, with the biggest one being that Leonard needs as many touches as possible when he’s on the court, and Barrett is a brutal off-ball player. For his career, he’s only a 34.5 percent three-point shooter, and trying to have him be a threat away from the ball makes life easier for opposing defenses. The other con with keeping him is that, among himself, Immanuel Quickley, and Jakob Poeltl, Barrett will have the highest trade value.
The Raptors, as of now, have a strong 8-man rotation, but outside of that, the rest are questionable, and Barrett’s contract and value offer a way, given their tight financial situation, to address that need. Barrett’s salary could be flexed in a deal to help bring in another shot creator and a backup big, which may benefit the Raptors more come playoff time.
Both options present positives and negatives, so the decision won’t be easy. That being said, if I had to make my prediction, I see Bobby Webster likely retaining RJ Barrett and seeing what this group, plus Kawhi Leonard, can do next season.
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