Trail Blazers Are Favorites To Trade For RJ Barrett

The Portland Trail Blazers are the betting favorites to land Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett, according to Bovada.

The 25-year-old is slated to earn $27.7 million next season and $29.61 million in 2026-27, per Spotrac.

This is part of the four-year, $107 million contract he signed with the New York Knicks in 2022.

Trail Blazers Could Trade For RJ Barrett This Offseason

Per Bovada, the Blazers have the best odds (+205) to acquire Barrett from Toronto, followed by the Washington Wizards (+325), Brooklyn Nets (+325), and other teams.

The six-year veteran arrived in Toronto in December 2023, when the Raptors traded Precious Achiuwa, OG Anunoby, and Malachi Flynn for Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.

In 58 games (all starts) with Toronto this past season, Barrett averaged career highs of 21.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per contest while shooting 46.8% from the floor and 35% from 3-point territory.

Barrett isn’t needed on the roster at this point, as Barnes and Ingram have already been extended within the last year. Barrett will also be extension-eligible this offseason, but that could make him more appealing to trade.

The Trail Blazers signed head coach Chauncey Billups to a multi-year contract extension after the team went 36-46 (.439), missing the playoffs but improving on their 21-61 record from a year ago.

Portland also has four veterans — Anfernee Simons, Matisse Thybulle, Robert Williams III, and Deandre Ayton — entering the last year of their contracts, per Spotrac.

Simons has led the team in scoring two straight seasons, but Portland could have a projected $70 million in cap space next offseason if the four players are not extended.

Although Portland has 13 players under contract for 2025-26, the team is over the salary cap but well below the luxury tax to add talent during free agency or via trade.

With their upcoming lottery pick, the Trail Blazers are $11 million below the tax and $17 million below the first apron, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Raptors Are Over The Tax, $1.3 Million Over The First Apron

Since last January, Toronto has acquired Brandon Ingram, Quickley, and Barrett through trades.

Those three players, as well as Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl, are under contract for at least the next two seasons. For next season, 89% of its salary cap is tied up in those five players, according to Marks.

Out of the five starters on Toronto’s roster — Quickley, Barnes, Ingram, Barrett, and Poeltl — only Quickley has played more than 64 games in a season since 2022-23.

The Raptors enter the offseason with limited flexibility outside of their first-round pick. Including the No. 9 overall pick, Toronto is over the tax and $1.3 million over the first apron.

This is only the third time the Raptors have had a lottery pick since 2016. The highest they have drafted since president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri took over was when the team selected Barnes at No. 4 in 2021.

In addition, Toronto can use up to $5.6 million of its non-tax mid-level exception and veteran minimum exception available. It also has the biannual exception, but that would hard cap the Raptors at the first apron. They will also have a second-round pick.

The 2025 NBA draft is this Wednesday and Thursday.