RJ Barrett has at times been the best player for the Toronto Raptors this season, scoring efficiently and ensuring the team has a well-balanced offensive attack. Yet as trade rumors swirl around the franchise, an unfortunate truth is coming to light for the team: Barrett may not play another game for the franchise.
The Raptors have struggled without Barrett this season. He appeared in the team's first 17 games, a stretch in which Toronto went 12-5 and took down a number of playoff teams. Without Barrett, the results have been the polar opposite: a 3-6 record, losing twice to the Charlotte Hornets, and a blowout loss to the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals on Tuesday night.
The team does not expect Barrett to be sidelined overly long with his knee injury, but he did receive a PRP injection and will be out at least through December 15th. The reason that date is significant is that on December 15th players signed in free agency this past offseason become eligible to be traded. It's the unofficial "start" of NBA trade season.
RJ Barrett is being offered in trades
That matters for Barrett because his name is continually being pulled into trade rumors. That isn't to say the Raptors are actively shopping him, but the logical implication from the franchise's interest in all manner of star players is that they would need to trade a significant contract -- and Barrett makes the most sense, for all that he is loved in Toronto.
For example, ESPN's Shams Charania just reported that the Raptors are among the teams interested in trading for Anthony Davis. On the surface, that makes some real sense for the franchise; Jakob Poeltl is uninspiring as the starting center, Davis is a two-way monster when he is healthy, and the Raptors are considering taking a step forward given their early-season success.
Once you do the math, it becomes clear that interest in Anthony Davis almost certainly means an openness to trading RJ Barrett. Even if the Raptors can interest Dallas in Poeltl's contract, the Austrian center makes just $19.5 million this season -- his salary spikes later on. With Davis making $54 million, that's another $34 million that has to mostly be made up for the Raptors to bring him in.
They aren't trading Scottie Barnes, and they just brought in Brandon Ingram. Immanuel Quickley's contract is seen as a negative and the Mavericks already have a point guard in Kyrie Irving and a breakout backup in Ryan Nembhard. The answer is almost certainly RJ Barrett as the matching salary.
The same goes for interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is a longshot for Toronto but who makes an identical $54.1 million to Davis. That deal is probably Quickley plus Barrett, or perhaps even Ingram and Barrett. It's hard to make a deal that doesn't include RJ Barrett.
A chance taken on Trae Young likely means a goodbye to RJ Barrett. A call placed for Domantas Sabonis or Jaren Jackson Jr. or LaMelo Ball almost certainly means including Barrett in an offer. He is good enough to be a positive on his current deal, he helps them match salary, and he is somewhat expendable when weighed against their other core pieces.
The Raptors need Barrett back on the court, and they hope he returns soon. Yet by the time that he is healthy enough to play, a deal may be in the works that ships him out of town. He'll probably get to return for Toronto -- but it's not a given. Once December 15th hits, all bets are off.
If the Raptors take a big swing, it will be an exciting day for Raptors fans -- and a bittersweet goodbye to a Toronto native.