QUEBEC CITY — The solution to most problems in professional sports lies in the old dictum:
“If you don’t like it, play better.”
Well, RJ Barrett has played better.
As he strolled around the practice floor at the Universite Laval where the Toronto Raptors were wrapping up their first day of their training camp, he looked the picture of NBA ease, laughing and smiling comfortably with teammates and coaches old and new, looking every inch a young athlete in his prime.
And why not?
The just-turned 26-year-old is coming off what was likely his best season of his career as he averaged 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists on a career-best 58.5-per-cent True Shooting, finding a way to generate efficient offence while playing off the ball more than at any time previously as a pro.
He played even better during the playoffs where — with Brandon Ingram largely ineffective due to injury — Barrett shouldered a bigger load combining bruising drives to the rim with some efficient spot-up three-point shooting. His 24.1 points per game was tied with teammate Scottie Barnes for the series lead against Cleveland. Only some poor free-throw shooting (63.4 per cent) took the shine off his overall offensive efficiency.
Zooming out, in 147 regular season games as a Raptor since the Mississauga, Ont. native was acquired from the New York Knicks midway through the 2023-24 season, Barrett is one of only a dozen NBA players to average at least 20 points (20.5), six rebounds (5.9) and four assists (4.3), with the rest of the list overwhelmingly comprised of players with all-star and all-NBA nods on their resumes.
On top of that, Barrett has done it while repping his hometown team with obvious and organic passion and pride. Here in Quebec, he’s the early MVP based on his ability to flip easily from English to French, a skill he picked up while spending his early years in France where his basketball-playing father played professionally for several seasons.
At his end-of-season press conference in May, Barrett didn’t bother with any vague or open-ended answers when asked where he hopes to be playing for the rest of his career, now heading into his eighth season.
“I’m trying to stay here. I understand the business, but I want to stay here. I have no problem saying that,” Barrett said. “I want to be here. I want to be here for the rest of my career. I don't ever want to leave. Like, I don't have any problems openly saying that.”
Add that all up — a still young player at or near his peak who has consistently been productive and wants to build a legacy with the franchise he grew up cheering for — and typically it translates into a new contract, likely a raise, and long-term security.
But in the case of Barrett, who is entering the final year of a four-year, $107-million contract he signed with the Knicks, the next reward is still forthcoming.
According to league sources, the Raptors and Barrett’s long-time agent Bill Duffy have yet to sit down and have substantive conversations about the possibility of a contract extension which — in theory — could be worth as much as $185 million over four seasons.
And while the lengthy Kawhi Leonard trade saga put the rest of the Raptors' business on hold for a couple months, there is optimism that Barrett’s desire to get a deal that keeps him in Toronto long-term isn’t one sided.
So why is Barrett heading into the final year of his deal with no assurance of an extension — a decision the Raptors have until June 30, 2027 to execute before the Canadian would hit free agency?
There a plenty of layers that can be pulled back on that.
Big picture, it’s the state of the industry at the moment. In prior years, teams were more likely to extend a player they liked and deal with the salary-cap ramifications later since the penalties for going over the luxury tax were primarily financial. Now that teams get hit with roster-building penalties for being over certain payroll thresholds — the first and second apron, as they’re known — front offices are being forced into more hard choices.
The Knicks, fresh off an NBA championship, haven’t been able to come to agreements on extensions for Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart, and let centre Mitchell Robinson leave for the rival Boston Celtics in free agency because ownership drew a line at going into the second apron. The Detroit Pistons, coming off a 60-win season, are in a prolonged contract dispute with all-NBA centre Jalen Duren and Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson is without an extension after helping the San Antonio Spurs to 62 wins and spot in the NBA Finals last season.
When looking specifically at the Raptors' situation, there is potential that Barrett gets squeezed because Toronto already has some questionable contract values with three years and $97.5 million owed to Immanuel Quickley and a three-year, $84-million extension on the books for Jakob Poeltl that doesn’t kick in until next season.
With the Raptors having committed big money to Barnes and now Leonard, and with some important young players soon to be extension eligible, their wriggle room is limited.
With a hefty expiring contract usually an important piece used to cobble together significant in-season trades if the Raptors are looking at upgrading one position or another, Barrett is left in a somewhat awkward situation: He’s all in on being a Raptor, but the business of basketball might dictate otherwise.
For his part, Barrett has handled the situation perfectly. He’s not shy about where he wants to play, but he knows all wishes do not come true in the NBA.
“I think the first thing is, a lot of times, players get too upset about it,” he said when asked about his contract situation. “One, they're still gonna pay me a lot of money this year anyway ($29.6 million), so I've gotta be thankful for that. And then I have a good agent — I just let him do his thing. Whatever happens, happens."
In the meantime, the Raptors have a very important season to play. And while the Raptors will likely go as far as Barnes and Leonard can take them, having someone like Barrett, who has shown both the ability to help carry an offence and fit in smoothly as a secondary option, should be handy.
“There's the beauty and the luxury of having RJ Barrett,” said Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic. “… He's so diverse offensively. He's great in transition. He plays off his teammates. He's a great cutter. He does a great job of getting in a window to get an open shot. He just has a great feel to play off the ball. And in combination (he’s effective), when he's on the ball in pick-and-rolls or iso situations, I think he brings a lot of value.”
Exactly what the value is in contract terms is an open question that might not be answered any time soon.
Barrett knows it and is dealing with in his own way, getting a tattoo just last week in script on the back of his left hand that reads: “If God allows it.”
“I feel like at the end of the day, whether you get a contract or not, you just keep playing,” he said. “If it's not one place, somebody else will want you. You're always auditioning every time you step on the floor. So always put your best foot forward.”
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