I'm not sure if Toronto is considered to have an one-two punch or big three per se, but I think Raptors fans and basketball analysts alike would agree that the team is built with solid starters across the board. Though, if they had to identify two players on the current roster who generate the most intrigue in terms of potential chemistry and pairing, it would probably be Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram.
And that's completely understandable.
While many still hope Scottie Barnes will make another offensive leap and improve his shot creation, even if Barnes has reached his ceiling and will remain as he is, his defensive upside and versatility are invaluable assets for the Raptors. It also became clear after last year's trade deadline, when Toronto aggressively targeted Brandon Ingram and ultimately succeeded, that the team was exploring a scenario where Ingram's scoring ability could complement a core in need of an offensive punch to elevate their overall potential.
But now, I'd like to bring up another player who has arguably been overlooked amid all the trade rumors and percieved expendability: RJ Barrett.
On September 29, during the Raptors' long-awaited Media Day, Barrett addressed the media. In his scrum, he was asked about his incoming teammate, Brandon Ingram, who spoke highly of what Barrett can bring to the team. The reporter's exact question was as follows: "... I was talking to Brandon [Ingram] earlier and he mentioned that, of all the guys that he worked with on the team over the summer, he was most surprised by you. He saw you as a bit of a gunner heading in, but he learned that you, you know, have a great all-around game. You know, you worked a lot over the offseason. I'm curious just to get your reaction to that, but also, you know, what you've been working on this offseason."
Brandon Ingram was 'most surprised' by RJ Barrett over the offseason
To which, Barrett responded with a bit of humor to his initial answer before going more in-depth (YouTube link here):
"See, I be, I pass the ball. I do. I do. It's been, it's been cool, especially just, you know, one, working with BI [Brandon Ingram]. He's also, I would say he drives to the rim better than I thought that he did. You know, I've seen him make a lot of jump shots. So like being able to kind of work with him and stuff, he gets to the rim actually pretty pretty effortlessly. So that, that was something I learned about him. And you know, I think that I had a cool summer of just working hard, being in the gym, and yeah, I'm kind of just, I was just happy about my summer and you know — you guys will see once we get out on the court. "RJ Barrett, Raptors Media Day 2025
There is really nothing tangible to go on yet, no clear tape to suggest a magical pairing for the Raptors in the upcoming year. While I’m very hyped to see Barnes and Ingram shine, I believe there is a scenario where Barrett can thrive alongside Ingram, even if concerns have been raised about redundancy or an awkward fit. But how are we supposed to judge that if they haven’t played any real NBA games together? And Barrett himself summed it up best: "You guys will see once we get out on the court."