Raptors fans have braced themselves for the decision regarding RJ Barrett's future — whether he's set to sign a contract extension or potentially be moved in a trade.
Barrett is entering the final two years of his rookie extension signed with the Knicks back in 2022, carrying a $27 million price tag this season and nearly $30 million as the deal winds down in the 2026-27 offseason. It’s a storyline that’s been circulating in Raptors Nation for what feels like an eternity, and until there's a concrete conclusion, those questions aren’t going away anytime soon.
But given the current situation, RJ Barrett is undeniably a key part of the Raptors' system and outlook. Before a myriad of injuries sidelined him and challenged his path to full strength, I believe Barrett was genuinely proving himself as a top-tier Raptors player. His impact was especially felt during Toronto's scorching hot November stretch, which I feel many would agree was their finest run of play in the 2025-26 season.
Though, RJ Barrett's return to peak form hasn't come without its fair share of critiques. His shaky finish to February caught my attention as the validation Toronto needed to assess RJ Barrett's true footing on the team — or at the very least, to consider bringing him off the bench in hopes of shaking things up.
Much like Raptors fans had to endure with Jakob Poeltl, waiting for these sidelined players to find their rhythm again has revealed the missing pieces to the Raptors' success. It underscores just how crucial their roles are to the team's overall outlook — whether it's these exact players in particular or simply what they bring to the table.
That said, I remain a strong supporter of RJ Barrett throughout all of this. His recent play has made a clear and lasting impression on his role within the Raptors’ system — possibly even making a long-term spot on the team inevitable. If his defensive improvements are indeed real and consistently noticeable, that could be a game-changer for this Raps squad. His streaky play from last month now feels like a wall that an injured player simply fights to break through.
RJ Barrett appears committed to building a lasting role with the Raptors
In the last ten games, Barrett has looked very strong, averaging an impressive and efficient 56.5 percent from the field. While his three-point shot could still improve, he's still shooting a respectable 35.3 percent, with his strongest shooting zone based on volume being the right corner (a 38.3 percent clip), according to 3StepsBasket. It was actually his defining zone last season with the Raps, where he averaged 44.4 percent on high volume from that area.
Barrett’s boost has been especially significant in games where the Raptors already benefit from strong outings from Brandon Ingram, elite defensive output from Scottie Barnes, and the vital connective pieces in between. And rewinding back to that point of his strong defensive play lately, Barrett addressed it in his Bulls post-game media availability, saying: "[...] This is the time of the year that we gotta get some wins. Gotta lock in even more, every game matters. As a vet, just knowing when to kick it into that extra gear."
Now, whether that suggests Barrett wasn’t giving his all on that end of the floor until this stretch is up for debate. But I’ve always believed he has the potential to become a high-impact scorer and a serviceable defender. And I’m glad to see it happening now — especially as Barrett said, every game counts and the urgency for that kind of effort is more evident than ever.
This team needs Barrett to be the best version of himself right now. If he can prove his worth in that role— despite the monetary concerns and questions about his overall impact — there’s a strong case to be made that RJ Barrett has earned a clear and undeniable future with this Raptors team and their goals.