The "Maple Mamba" lives to see another day ... or at least, that's what it seems like with all the smoke cleared for now.
I could understand the motivations behind wanting to move RJ Barrett, but as a proud Torontonian myself, it would definitely sting to see the hometown kid get shown his walking papers just like that. Barrett is far from a refined, polished player, but this past season, he had his best statistical year to date and served as a very important piece within the Raptors' structure.
However, I truly couldn't tell if Barrett's best foot forward was only gaining traction within the close-knit Raptors community or if his impressive 2024-25 campaign was enough to impress those in the broader NBA landscape.
Well, I'd be pleasantly surprised to hear the insights made on a recent edition of The Zach Lowe Show, and particularly, comments made by guest Michael Pina regarding RJ Barrett's impact on the Raptors moving forward.
Here's an excerpt of what the senior NBA staff writer at The Ringer said:
"... I also like the steps and the strides that RJ Barrett made as a playmaker last year and the ways that they utilized him and I think that you can still do that this season and I think he will shoot the ball better. He's a better shooter than he showed last year."Michael Pina, July 24, 2025
In response, Zach Lowe would offer his skepticism: "Are you sure RJ Barrett is going to shoot it better than he did last year? 35% on threes, 52% on twos. Career 34.5% on threes, 48% on twos." To which, Pina responded:
"I am confident that he will get some of the best looks of his of his career, next year with Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes on the court. I feel like those are willing, really smart passers. And I think that spotting up or coming off motion, I think he I think he can be a pretty good outside shooter... To me, it's like, yeah, the three-point percentage will be what it is, but do you have gravity? And I think that you people will not want to leave RJ Barrett alone wide open. Um, so we'll see. "Michael Pina
That is high praise for Barrett, and it’s not unwarranted; even with the Raptors’ struggles, he was a consistent, key part of the flow. Pina makes a great point about Ingram and Barnes — not there to take the keys from Barrett — but to enhance their passing to help him shine. I recently highlighted an unnamed Raptors coach who said, "One thing we’ve talked about is not putting a ceiling on any one player or on our team as a whole," which sums up Barrett’s situation perfectly.
Last year, he had to step up amid team struggles, which may have affected his efficiency. But now, with less pressure, Pina boldly suggests he could get some of the best looks of his career next season, and Raptors fans should be excited for what's to come.