Raptors GM Bobby Webster willing to wait on re-signing Canadian star RJ Barrett

TORONTO — Bobby Webster is willing to wait on re-signing star Canadian guard RJ Barrett.

The Toronto Raptors general manager had his season-ending news conference on Wednesday afternoon at OVO Athletic Centre, the NBA team’s practice facility. One of the first questions Webster was asked was if he was open to signing a contract extension with Barrett this summer as he enters the final year of his current deal.

“We’re going to keep all those conversations private,” said Webster. “Spoke to RJ at the end of the season and spoke to him throughout the season.

“I think the best part is he is under contract, so that decision can also be at the end of the season.”

Barrett, from Mississauga, Ont., is under contract through 2026-27 as he completes a four-year, US$107 million extension signed with the New York Knicks in 2022. Toronto traded for him and Immanuel Quickley in December 2023.

Webster’s issue isn’t so much that he doesn’t want Barrett to play for the Raptors past the next season — it’s that he might not be able to afford him.

Unless Toronto finds a way to shed significant contracts this summer, it will be over the salary cap when the next NBA season begins in October. The Raptors payroll will be approximately $193 million against a projected $165-million cap, meaning they’ll have to pay the NBA’s luxury tax.

Toronto is already committed to paying six players over $159 million in 2027-28 when Barrett’s contract ends, including all-stars Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram as well as fellow starters Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl.

Barrett is earning $29.6 million this coming season and would expect to earn more on a new deal. Signing him to an extension would put the Raptors deep into luxury tax range for the 2027-28 season with just seven players under contract, well short of the 15 necessary to fill out an NBA roster.

“I think there’s always been that notion that when the time is right, come ask (Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the Raptors owners) and we’ll deliver,” said Webster, noting that Toronto’s 2019 championship team paid a luxury tax. “Going into this season, I realized this might not be the championship-contending team, and so we held off.

“But going forward, I think it’ll be a bit more on how does this group grow? But also, what moves we make over the summer. We have full support (from MLSE), and I think whenever the time is right, we’ll be ready.”

Barrett averaged 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the regular season, with the Raptors struggling to a 6-9 record when he was injured at the end of November and into December.

The 25-year-old was one of Toronto’s most reliable players in its first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 24.1 points, seven rebounds, four assists, 1.3 steals and 0.3 blocks over the seven-game series. Most memorably, he sank a 29-foot three-pointer in the dying seconds of the Raptors’ 112-110 overtime win in Game 6.

“I think you always knew that he was going to play a big, physical style of basketball,” said Webster. “That was in full display, him getting to the paint, him getting to the rim. He had a little bit of a tough stretch, going through some injuries.

“I think he got back to full health and you saw that in the playoffs.”

When Barrett spoke at his season-ending news conference Monday, he was explicit that he wants to stay with his hometown team.

“I think that this is the easier question for me to answer because I’m from here and who doesn’t want to play at home?” said Barrett, who said that at this point it’s out of his control. “So, of course, I’m trying to stay here. I understand the business, but I want to stay here. I have no problem saying that. 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.”

Head coach Darko Rajakovic said that Barrett had impressed him all season, but especially in the playoffs when the six-foot-six swingman was tasked with guarding six-foot-11 all-star centre Evan Mobley.

“I think that he made big strides since joining us here, he’s showing more and more every month, every year that he’s more of a two-way player,” said Rajakovic on Tuesday. “I was really impressed with the defence that he played there against Cleveland. He’s a player that likes the challenge and he reacts really well when we put a challenge in front of him, and we ask him to do certain things to improve his game.

“He did a really good job as a leader as well … His confidence is growing that he can be an elite two-way player, and his voice is growing with the team as well.”

Toronto will pick 19th and 50th overall in the NBA Draft on June 23. Webster said that he’s still in a building frame of mind, even though the Raptors had the youngest roster in this post-season.

“Our philosophy here has always been getting two-way players,” said Webster. “We still need more better players. There will be a time when it feels like, ‘OK, this specific piece is what puts us over the top.’

“I think this summer, whether it’s the draft or free agency or trades, we’ll just be looking at the best two-way players available.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press