RJ Barrett made 9 of 16 shots and committed no turnovers in Toronto's 112-102 win at Washington, a line that is easy to miss beside Scottie Barnes' 28 points. Heading into Sunday in Minnesota, he is the player whose steadiness the Raptors can plan around.
Steady While Kawhi Warms Up
Barrett finished with 23 points, nine rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes at Washington, a +3 night. He was on the floor in the closing five alongside Murray-Boyles, Walter, Shead and Barnes, and he scored eight in the fourth quarter, one more than Kawhi Leonard. Leonard shot 7 of 20 in that game. Josh Lewenberg of TSN charted him at 12 of 36 to start the season and rated his own concern at 0 out of 10. While Leonard's minutes build, Barrett supplies scoring that does not wait on a rhythm. His minutes are also up 10 a night over the last three games with a teammate out, and whether that holds depends on who comes back.
Efficiency Over Volume
Last season Barrett played 57 games at 30.3 minutes and put up 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists on 49.1% shooting. His true shooting percentage was 58.5% on a usage rate of 25.4%, so he carried a real share of the offense without wasting it. Toronto's offensive rating was 115.0 as a team; his was 118.4. His net rating of 4.9 beat the team's 2.9. The soft spots are plain: 33.9% from three on 5.0 attempts, 71.7% at the line, and a 15.7% assist rate that marks him as a finisher rather than a creator. He went 1 of 5 from deep at Washington, which is why the rim pressure behind those nine makes matters.
The Clock on His Deal
Barrett earns $29.6M this season, the fourth-largest salary on the roster behind Leonard, Barnes and Immanuel Quickley. Toronto's payroll of $201.2M sits $0.8M above the $200.4M tax line, so every contract carries weight. HoopsRumors reported September 29 that extension talks were not serious, and no outlet has reported progress since. The verdict for this season is narrow and clear: Barrett has to be the efficient, mistake-free second scorer next to Barnes and Leonard. Nothing in a 2-0 start argues against it. Sunday's game at Minnesota, a team that went 49-33 last season, will say whether the same Barrett shows up against a better opponent.
How did RJ Barrett play last season?
He averaged 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 57 games, shooting 49.1% from the field and 33.9% from three. His true shooting percentage was 58.5%.
Does RJ Barrett have a contract extension?
Not as of now: he is paid $29.6M for 2026-27. HoopsRumors reported September 29 that extension talks were not serious, and no outlet has reported progress since.
