Pelicans, Raptors discussed RJ Barrett trade during Brandon Ingram talks

Sources told HoopsHype that the Hawks and Pelicans had several three-team trade conversations, which included two of the following four players leaving Atlanta in different trade scenarios for Ingram that ultimately fell through: Clint Capela, Onyeka Okongwu, De’Andre Hunter, and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Hunter and Bogdanovic were traded to the Cavaliers and Clippers in separate deals. Atlanta is ideally not looking to go over the luxury tax threshold next season, HoopsHype has learned, which will play a role in the team’s roster construction this summer and the futures of those veterans. -via HoopsHype / March 3, 2025

This year, the Raptors gave Ingram a three-year, $120 million deal — including a player option — after the deadline trade. “I don’t think Ingram gets that deal if he’d have hit free agency, especially the player option, but it depends on how he would’ve finished the season in New Orleans [had he not been traded],” another league executive said. “They obviously really like him and think he’s a good fit, but they bid against themselves on that deal — and they bid against themselves on Quickley.” -via ESPN / February 21, 2025

“At the beginning of the year, every time the schedule comes out, the first team we mark is Toronto and I don’t think it’s ever for the team, it’s for the city,” Ingram said. “And also, I just felt that I needed a fresh start. A fresh start somewhere where guys played hard and they listened. I heard good things about Scottie [Barnes], I heard good things about [Immanuel] Quickley and I thought it was a good fit offensively and defensively. And Darko [Rajakovic] had a part in that too.” “He said he really likes oxtail in Toronto,” Rajakovic said of his newest player. “He really likes the city. He really likes our fans here. He really likes our young guys. He’s impressed with what he saw and the potential that we have here and he’s been embracing our culture.” -via TSN / February 13, 2025

Hoop Informatics: Among the top 50 players by total drives this season, the following players are averaging more free throw attempts per drive than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: • Giannis • ANT • Jaren Jackson Jr. • Austin Reaves • Jayson Tatum • Franz Wagner • James Harden • RJ Barrett • Julius Randle -via Bluesky / February 25, 2025

Josh Lewenberg: RJ Barrett scored 13 of the Raptors’ final 16 points. What happened? “Davion. He was just talking so much… The trash talk is a fun part of the game. It helped me get going for sure.” -via x.com / February 21, 2025

Pinpointing Barrett’s standing is trickier. The Canadian has two more seasons left on his current contract after this one at $27.7 million in 2025-26 and then $29.6 million in 2026-27. And before that final year arrives, Toronto will almost certainly be holding contract extension talks with Gradey Dick, who the Raptors have held in as high regard as anyone in the building who doesn’t have BARNES stitched into the back of his jersey. Don’t forget that the Raptors also drafted Ja’Kobe Walter, another scoring guard, with the No. 19 pick last June. All of that makes Barrett someone who has to be monitored as a potential trade candidate once the offseason arrives. The modern NBA is now dominated by contract extensions and players getting traded to the team that is willing to give them one … with surrounding players occasionally rendered casualties along the way. -via marcstein.substack.com / February 12, 2025