Right now, the Toronto Raptors are in a pretty interesting place. They're clearly not a contender, but they've got enough interesting pieces in place to like the direction they're headed in. However, there's still some players that it makes more sense to keep in the long run than others. As it stands right now, there's certainly a world in which RJ Barrett finds a new home sooner rather than later. If he does, one team could be an excellent fit: The Washington Wizards.
Now, hear me out on this. I know what you're thinking: Why would anyone want to play for the Washington Wizards? Well, for Barrett, the name of the game could be opportunity.
What I mean by that is this: As of right now, Barrett is the leading scorer for the Toronto Raptors. However, he's not head and shoulders above his teammates in terms of talent level.
There's several other capable scores on this Raptors roster. And when it comes to experience, guys like Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes have several years of playing in this league under their belts. In other words, Barrett isn't in a category by himself.
Barrett would be a good fit with the Washington Wizards
But that's the thing. Should he make the move to Washington, Barrett would be in a category all by himself. He'd be unquestionably the best scorer on a roster full of young and unproven talent.
Becoming a member of the Wizards would give Barrett a perfect shot to shine on a young roster with no real other go-to scorers. He would be able to lead those younger guys like Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly, and help their talent blossom. From Toronto's side of things, getting off of number nine's four-year, $107 million contract would be preferable.
Sometimes, for a player like RJ Barrett, a change of scenery can do wonders for your career. And it's not necessarily like Barrett is in a bad place right now. But finding a new situation like this one could open up doorways that he didn't even know were there before.
Given that he's a native of Toronto, Ontario, many Raptors fans would certainly miss Barrett if he departed. However, for this roster to continue developing and moving forward, letting go of pieces like him can sometimes be the pruning that really helps the tree grow.