Raptors Expected To Continue Shopping RJ Barrett For Upgrade

The Toronto Raptors are expected to continue shopping R.J. Barrett in search of an upgrade this 2025-26 season. This is according to NBA insider Jake Fischer’s latest for Bleacher Report.

On a live stream for his Insider Notebook, Fischer was firm in stating the team will look to be buyers.

“I’ve got the Raptors as a buyer entering this season right now,” Fischer said. “A team that’s gonna continue to look to get better and improve in the Eastern Conference. We’ve talked about this before, R.J. Barrett is certainly a name I will tell you and tell Raptors fans to be on the lookout as a potential trade candidate going out the door with his roughly $30 million in salary.

“To go out and be a major buyer and see what they can achieve with R.J. Barrett’s salary.”

Fischer also maintained his previous reporting that Barrett was made available to the New Orleans Pelicans in the deal that ultimately brought Brandon Ingram to Toronto. The Pelicans, however, were not interested in Barrett.

Barrett’s representation is believed to have been made aware his name will be discussed in trades moving forward.

In 2024-25, Barrett averaged 21.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists across 58 games. He shot 46.8 percent from the field, 35 percent from three and a disappointing 63 percent at the free-throw line.

Raptors Showing Sense Of Urgency

Several Eastern Conference teams have sensed an opening after injuries to the Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton and Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum. Toronto appears to be no different.

What may be different is the push from those above the front office to accelerate the rebuild. The Raptors have struggled to remain relevant after the departures of Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry and other key members of their 2019 championship team.

“The Raptors have been given some type of formal pressure, some type of direction from their new leadership of MLSE to kind of end this sort of rebuild era they’ve been in post-Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry departing the franchise, post-2019 championship,” Fischer said.

Some have seen the Ingram acquisition as a desperate move and questioned the fit. Ingram has yet to play as a Raptor due to an ankle injury after being acquired at the trade deadline.

On paper, this is a team with solid talent in the starting five. Ingram and Barrett are accompanied by Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl and Immanuel Quickley. With Quickley being the only consistent outside shooter, it’s easy to see how some may deem the roster a clunky fit.

That will be for head coach Darko Rajakovic to figure out. If he can’t, then perhaps the front office, now led by Bobby Webster, will step in.

Theoretically, a volume 3-point shooter with strong defense would make for a cleaner fit than Barrett at shooting guard.

Toronto’s season will begin Oct. 22 in Atlanta against the Hawks.