The Raptors have been linked to Malik Monk in the past. Last year, the interest seemed a little awkward if the idea was to move Barrett’s contract and bring Monk in as his replacement, as Monk isn’t a great defender and wasn’t exactly shooting lights out from deep. He simply wasn’t what the Raptors needed.
Things look a bit different now. For one, with Kawhi Leonard on the team and a bunch of big contracts, a Barrett trade now seems almost inevitable—especially if Ja’Kobe Walter lives up to expectations and emerges as a smoother fit with the other four starters than Barrett.
More importantly, perhaps, Monk wouldn’t exactly be Barrett’s replacement in this scenario. Ja’Kobe Walter could easily step into the starting lineup as a 3-point specialist and impactful perimeter defender. Monk would be a scoring punch off the bench next to Collin Murray-Boyles and Jamal Shead, another back-up creator, and, hopefully, a floor spacer. He shot almost 40% on 5.1 attempts per game over 62 contests last season. If he could shoot anywhere near that percentage, it would be huge for the Raptors.
His defensive limitations also wouldn’t be a disaster in Toronto because of the defensive infrastructure around him with standouts like Scottie Barnes, Shead, Walter, Murray-Boyles, and Kawhi Leonard.
It may be time for the Raptors to dive back into the possibility of a trade with the Kings. They have also been linked to Domantas Sabonis, but that deal would be more difficult to pull off since the Kings have no interest in Jakob Poeltl’s questionable contract.
The Kings could be a willing trade partner if the Raptors look to move Barrett
Barrett reportedly drew some trade interest over the summer—unsurprisingly after how he played in the playoffs. Whether that same interest will carry over to the trade deadline remains to be seen.
The Kings, however, could be at the forefront of teams interested in Barrett. As our sister site, A Royal Pain pointed out recently, the Kings have a logjam of shooting guards to clear out and could use a scorer and creator like Barrett at the three.
Moreover, Kings GM Scott Perry drafted Barrett to the New York Knicks and may be higher on his skill set than some other GMs around the league.
Is Ja’Kobe Walter ready for a starting role on a competitive team?
On paper, Ja’Kobe Walter is a much smoother fit with Scottie Barnes, Kawhi Leonard, Immanuel Quickley, and Jakob Poeltl than Barrett because he can be a 3-and-D role player.
Walter also responded to being pushed into a big role throughout the playoffs with some impressive showings for a second-year player. After some initial hiccups, he shot over 40% from three in each of the final three games, and he scored 24 points in a massive Game 6 win to keep the Raptors’ season alive.
He seems ready for a bigger role, and there’s no way to know if he is if the Raptors don’t give him a shot to prove it. A Barrett trade won’t happen immediately, but they can still give Walter opportunities to play big minutes and close games as they evaluate their best path forward with Barrett’s expiring salary.
Add us as a preferred source on Google