You gotta feel for RJ Barrett a bit.
Despite doing his best to give his hometown Raptors his all, he's still being thrown into trade conversations.
However, I don't believe it's because he's not a good player; rather, his status as the odd man out amid a flux of wing talent and an uncertain future—where he might see less playing time and spotlight—makes it a smart business decision for Toronto to move on from him now before it's too late.
As NBA insider Jake Fischer highlighted in his The People's Insider column for Marc Stein's Substack on June 6, he emphasized that the "Maple Mamba" is the most crucial player contract toward Toronto's ultimate goal of acquiring a star. In this case, that star was Suns forward Kevin Durant, who stood out as a top target.
RJ Barrett rumored to be Raptors' top player inclusion in summer trade talks
Fischer's comments were as follows:
"The Raptors, thanks to the aforementioned pressure, are generally expected to be active on this summer's trade market, which could establish RJ Barrett’s $27 million salary as a key element to any forthcoming salary cap math. Sources say Barrett was indeed discussed with New Orleans during the Raptors' trade conversations that ultimately landed Ingram from the Pelicans for Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk and one future first- and second-round pick."Jake Fischer
As Fischer mentioned, news of Barrett's rumored inclusion in the initial Brandon Ingram trade talks surfaced in the months following the completion of the deal. Given the team's willingness to include him then, it shouldn't come as a surprise if Toronto quickly moves to include the 24-year-old wing in a potential Kevin Durant package.
This could be yet another example of Toronto and Masai Ujiri treading carefully with their assets until the perfect scenario presents itself for the Raptors to flourish. Of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the crown jewel, but, as I highlighted in a recent piece, Kevin Durant serves as a more than sufficient consolation prize.
Thinking about how things could unfold for Barrett during his time in Phoenix, I wonder how much their remaining star, Devin Booker, would be sold on the Suns' new direction if they start tearing down the walls.
I’d like to think it would only be a matter of time before he requests a trade out of Phoenix. If that happens, it would give Barrett another opportunity in his career to take the driver’s seat and establish himself as a key focal point of a team's offense.
However, I also don’t discount Barrett’s ability to serve as a complementary option alongside a star —perhaps Booker would be willing to give that pairing a try.
Nevertheless, with these recent developments in the RJ Barrett trade rumors that have been rumbling for months, Raptors Nation anticipates that he will be heading out soon. The real question now is, what will Toronto receive in return? A significant upgrade—such as acquiring Kevin Durant—or, as another trade rumor suggests, using his contract to acquire a role player like Cam Johnson.