The Toronto Raptors made multiple bold moves before the 2024 trade deadline. Pascal Siakam was sent to Indiana, and OG Anunoby went to the Knicks after years of trade rumors. The graders were quick to discount Toronto’s return (subscription required), but the Raptors were shifting to building around Scottie Barnes. They wanted young talent with upside, and RJ Barrett is showing everyone why.
The 24-year-old has taken his game to new heights. He averages 23.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 0.8 steals in 34.6 minutes per game. All of those counting stats are career-highs, and Barrett has drastically increased his effective field goal and true shooting percentages since arriving in Toronto.
The 6’6 wing is back home and playing the best basketball of his career. The Raptors are just 1.5 games out of the Play-In Tournament in what was supposed to be a rebuilding season. Barrett’s breakout is a key reason and may change the complexity of the trade.
RJ Barrett’s breakout changing how fans view OG Anunoby trade
Anuoby is one of the elite role players in the NBA. He helped the Raptors win the championship in 2019. The 6’7 forward is a plus shooter and versatile defender that impacts winning. He is never afraid to take on the toughest defensive assignment, but Anunoby is not an All-Star and never will be.
Barrett is making a case and is years away from his peak. He has shot 51.5 percent from the field and 37.4 percent on his three since joining the Raptors. That comes with 22.6 points per game, strong rebounding for a guard, and improved playmaking. Barrett has reached a new level and is reminding the Knicks why they took him third overall in the 2019 draft.
The Raptors got Immanuel Quickley and the draft pick that turned into Jonathan Mogbo in this trade too. Quickley inked a massive five-year extension in the offseason to be Toronto's point guard of the present and future. Injuries have limited him to just three games this season, but the 25-year-old should continue to improve when healthy. Mogbo has been thrust into the rotation as a rookie and has shown flashes.
Anunoby remains an elite role player, but the balance of this trade is shifting. It no longer looks like the slam dunk many predicted for New York. Barrett making an All-Star appearance and Quickley thriving as Toronto’s point guard would make the Raptors unquestioned winners. Both feel like real possibilities after Barrett’s recent play.
Fans should not be surprised. Masai Ujiri has been one of the best executives in the NBA for years. He believed a bit too much in his players but found solid value when finally moving on. If Barrett and Quickley keep improving, this could become an emphatic win for the Raptors when it is all said and done.
Can RJ Barrett keep it up? Does OG Anunoby play a key role in a Knicks championship? Does Immanuel Quickley reach another level? There is plenty more story to tell, but things are looking up for the Toronto Raptors. Do not be surprised if it keeps trending in that direction.