The following is part of Raptors Republic’s preview series for the 2026-27 series. You can find all the other pieces here.
This could be the most important season of RJ Barrett’s entire NBA career.
Barrett is heading into 2026-27 with a contract extension on the table, and a strong season could go a long way toward keeping him in Toronto for the long haul. He is also coming off his first playoff run with the Raptors, where he showed a version of his game that should have Toronto pretty excited about what comes next.
There is also a pretty big opportunity sitting in front of him. If the Kawhi Leonard deal gets finalized, Barrett could be playing alongside Leonard and Scottie Barnes, giving Toronto three legitimate offensive weapons. For Barrett, that could mean fewer possessions where he has to force something and more chances to do what he does best. Get downhill and attack.
That has always been Barrett’s game. When he gets a head of steam going toward the basket, he is tough to stop. He is strong enough to take contact, comfortable finishing through traffic and has developed a pretty reliable floater and push shot to punish defenders who protect the rim.
We saw a lot of that from Barrett during Toronto’s playoff run last season. He averaged 24 points per game against Cleveland and became one of the Raptors’ biggest offensive weapons. He was also much more active on the glass, averaging seven rebounds per game.
And of course, no one should be able to forget what happened during Game 6. With Toronto’s season hanging in the balance, Scottie Barnes drove into the defence before finding Barrett on the perimeter. Barrett put up a ridiculously high-arcing three that bounced off the back of the rim, hung in the air for what felt like forever and eventually dropped through.
The biggest difference for Barrett in Toronto has been figuring out where he fits. For much of his career, he has been asked to carry a pretty large offensive load. That is not necessarily where he is at his best. Barrett does not need to be the No. 1 option. He has proven that he can be a very good second or third option.
That was part of what made last season alongside Brandon Ingram work better than some people expected. There were questions about whether Barnes, Ingram and Barrett would have enough room to operate together, but Barrett found his lane. He averaged 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists while becoming a reliable offensive option rather than trying to force himself into the centre of everything. That role could become even more comfortable with Leonard.
The biggest thing Barrett needs this season might be something that has nothing to do with basketball. He needs to stay on the floor. Barrett played just 57 games last season after dealing with a knee sprain and later an ankle injury.
The timing of the knee injury was particularly unfortunate because he had started the season extremely well. Through his first 17 games, he was averaging more than 20 points, five rebounds and four assists while shooting nearly 60 per cent on two-point attempts.
Then he got hurt, and when he came back, he did not immediately look like the same player. His first step was not quite as explosive, and some of those aggressive drives that had been working so well earlier in the season were not ending the same way.
It took some time. By March, though, Barrett looked much more like himself again and actually finished that stretch shooting better from two-point range than he had earlier in the year. That is something Toronto will want to see carry over, because when Barrett is healthy and playing with confidence, the difference is noticeable.
Barrett’s offence is pretty easy to understand. Defence is where he still has something to prove. The effort is not always the problem, it is more about being engaged every possession. There are times when Barrett can use his size and strength to make life difficult for opposing wings, but he has also had stretches where he does not make enough of an impact away from the ball.
With even less offensive responsibility potentially coming his way, this could be the season where he puts more energy into that side of the floor. Leonard’s arrival could actually help there. If Barrett is not being asked to carry as much of the scoring burden, there is no reason he cannot become more consistent defensively. Even a small improvement would make him a much more complete player.
This is a big year. There is no getting around it. Barrett is entering a season where there is a lot riding on how he performs. The Raptors have already seen what he can do as a scorer. They saw it during the regular season, and then they saw an even better version during the playoffs. Now they need to know if he can put it all together over a full season. He can do exactly what the Raptors need: shapeshift into a playmaker, cutter, scorer, anything, no matter who else is healthy and who else is hurt.
The contract situation will be in the background all season, but Barrett cannot let it become the story. He has a much bigger opportunity in front of him. If Leonard joins the team, Barrett could have more space, less pressure and better players around him than he has ever had in Toronto. And if he takes advantage of it, this could be the season that changes how the Raptors view his long-term future.
