Toronto Raptors mailbag: Is Giannis coming to town? RJ Barrett on the move?
It has been a while since we did a Toronto Raptors mailbag. But with the most insane lottery in recent memory completed and the NBA draft just a month away, now's as good a time as any to take reader questions.
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Here's part 1 with a thanks as always for the questions. Part 2, with more of a focus on the draft and ownership changes, will drop later in the week:
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Sean @Whispering375: Why would Raptors look to trade RJ Barrett? He's been a bucket-getter. Who would you move this summer?
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@D13Drafts asks: 'It seems that RJ Barrett is the most likely piece of the core to be moved. What do you think is a likely destination for RJ & do you expect to see movement on that front?'
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Ryan Wolstat: It's a fair take D13 and one I've made myself in past columns (arguing either Barrett or Ochai Agbaji might have to go at some point to avoid the luxury tax).
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Though Barrett checks a lot of boxes (at 24, he's actually the second-youngest 'core' piece, not including the ninth pick of this coming draft, he's the leading scorer each of the last two seasons, a homegrown star and puts a lot of pressure on the rim, unlike most of his teammates), he likely has a more moveable contract than other core Raptors.
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Immanuel Quickley arguably has a more-needed key skill, with his ability to hit pull-up three-pointers, than Barrett, Brandon Ingram isn't going anywhere and the team believes in Gradey Dick and Ja'Kobe Walter a lot, making Barrett perhaps superfluous because Ingram will replace his points and, between Dick and Walter, they can absorb the bulk of the shooting guard minutes (with Agbaji potentially playing some as well or Quickley sliding over beside Jamal Shead).
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It was a bit odd Toronto didn't push Barrett for all-star consideration at all even though he was the leading scorer and was putting up insane numbers at home. They like him and opted for a deal that included him from New York instead of other variations that didn't, but don't seem to value the Canadian connection, the work ethic, personality, bucket-getting abilities and improved defensive commitment as they should (clearly I like Barrett more than many people do).
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I don't see what the Raptors do with Dick and would be intrigued what he'd fetch on the market, but not sure it would be enough to give up on him now (if he has another overall year like this past campaign, though, it would be hard to get any value for him), but not sure there's any other obvious choice to trade, unless Agbaji could get you something nice before you have to potentially overpay him.
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