After agreeing to a three-year contract extension with star forward Brandon Ingram, the Toronto Raptors are ready to take the next step forward in their rebuild. In fact, next season they don’t even want to be in rebuild mode. According to The Stein Line insider Jake Fischer, the Canada-based NBA franchise “want to compete starting next year.”
Raptors Ready To Leave Rebuild Process Behind
Interestingly, The Stein Line founder Marc Stein suggests that RJ Barrett could be an offseason trade candidate due to the presence of Gradey Dick and Ja’Kobe Walter.
However, his co-worker’s report runs counter to that line of thinking. Dick and Walker, both wings, have flashed their potential. Nonetheless, they’ve been nowhere near as effective as Barrett.
Obviously, Barrett could very well be traded eventually. Marriages aren’t immune to divorce, even loving ones. Yet, if the goal is to compete and to build around Scottie Barnes, moving one of their top players is counterintuitive.
In fact, the only way trading Barrett makes sense is if it’s to acquire a sharper three-point threat. With that being said, the Toronto native is now in a similar position to the one he was in with the New York Knicks. That alone could have him re-considering his future with the franchise.
Raptors Offseason Scenarios
Barrett’s future will get even murkier if the Raptors land a high pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Toronto is currently projected to land the fifth overall pick. In that range, a prospect like Texas shooting guard Tre Johnson projects to be a cleaner fit alongside Ingram and Barnes than either Barrett, Dick, or Walter.
Tre Johnson vs Alabama Last night..
24 PTS (9-17 FG, 4-8 3PT)
4 AST
3 REBSHe’s the leading scoring in the SEC rn.. How his draft stock rn? Top 5? pic.twitter.com/59FCOpw34r
— Frankie Vision (@Frankie_Vision) February 12, 2025
In 23 games, Johnson has averaged 19.3 points per game and made 38.6 percent of his threes.
Alternatively, if the Raptors don’t like the prospects where they’re at, Barrett could indeed be trade bait. The New Orleans Pelicans, currently projected to land the No. 2 pick, could look to pair Zion Williamson with his former college teammate. Nevertheless, if the Indiana Pacers make Myles Turner available, the best trade for Toronto involves their top pick and Jakob Poeltl.
Turner won’t instantly cover all of the Raptors’ holes. However, given their current core’s core concerns, his ability to space the floor and protect the rim could be essential. The 28-year-old is a career 36.0 percent three-point shooter averaging 2.2 blocks per game.
Whether Barrett or Poeltl is on the roster in 2025-26 is up in the air. Immanuel Quickley’s future with the franchise may not be secure either. He hasn’t played poorly but he’s largely performed below expectations since his arrival.
With that in mind, if the Raptors are in position to draft Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, it might be too difficult to pass that chance up.
For starters, he’s now being compared to James Harden, an MVP winner. Furthermore, Toronto may be able to drastically reduce their future payroll. Not only does this make retaining players like Barrett (or Poeltl) more feasible, it could allow them to be buyers in strong free agent classes.
1A, 1B
Barnes and Ingram are projected to be the Raptors’ 1A and 1B moving forward.
In Barnes, Toronto has a dynamite point-forward who has taken steps forward as a scorer and defender. In Ingram, they have a playmaking forward who excels as a scorer and has defensive upside. Though imperfect, they can truly be one of the best league’s top tandems.
Of course, it takes more than a couple of studs to win consistently in the NBA. The Raptors need to improve beyond the arc and emphasize getting to the free-throw line. They need to be better event-creators at the defensive end, which could also help them get more fast break opportunities.
However, Toronto will likely enter next season at a better starting point than they did in 2024-25, and more confidently too.
© John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
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