When it comes to Raptors wing RJ Barrett, I feel like he often gets the short end of the stick even when he doesn't deserve it. This mostly stems from the high regard he held coming into the league as one of the top prospects of the 2019 draft class, and from the pressure of playing in the large market, cutthroat environment of the New York Knicks.
That pressure and the lingering perception of him as a “toxic asset” or a low-impact player have followed him even during his time with the Raptors. Despite a stellar 2024-25 campaign, with some ups and downs along the way, Barrett once again finds himself as largely the odd man out moving forward.
Unsurprisingly, his name has been linked to endless trade rumors, especially since many believe Toronto remains in a good position to contend if the "Maple Mamba" were to leave his hometown franchise.
But is all this casual disrespect and undervaluing of Barrett’s talents truly justified?
Is RJ Barrett being unjustly overlooked?
I came across a post on X where a Brooklyn Nets-focused page asked whether they should just absorb RJ Barrett’s contract if it "costs nothing." When I see how Barrett is being treated as if he's almost a nothing player, that’s just blatant disrespect — point blank, period.
I’m not here to sell you on RJ Barrett as some NBA superstar or world-beater. I understand what he is—a versatile wing who can score at will—but he can suffer from tunnel vision at times, and his defense can be suspect. Still, Barrett is far from just a nothing player. We’ve seen how he was able to respond to adversity by continuing to serve a key role in the Raptors’ offense.
While it didn’t translate to many wins, it showed he was more than willing to take on that task consistently. I also think the Raptors’ lack of casual audience appeal contributes to fans assuming Barrett isn’t anything too special. As I mentioned before, there have been hypothetical trade ideas where Barrett was simply salary dumped, like a trade sending him to the Washington Wizards for veteran Marcus Smart — suggesting he has little value.
I understand that many teams might be hesitant to pay Barrett his current $27 million salary, but that number isn’t too outrageous for what he can bring to a team. I wouldn’t advocate for first-option or second-option RJ Barrett on a title contender, but as a third or fourth option, he’s more than capable.
I think Toronto’s abundance of similar wing archetypes makes Barrett a tradable asset, but he’s far from worthless. Just look at the rumored package of Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, and draft picks being discussed for Kevin Durant — Barrett’s value in that context is justified.
So enough of this "absorbing" talk or just dumping Barrett like a bag of bones. It's time for the rest of the basketball community to see what he truly is and what he could still become. After all, he’s only 25 years old. Even if Barrett ends up on a team like Brooklyn or Washington, he’s still likely to be a 20+ point per game scorer, a solid rebounder, and a quality playmaker at his position.
It’s time to put a little more respect on his name.