Raptors mailbag: Trade Barrett or Agbaji and Ja'Kobe Walter's place in rotation

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The somewhat new-look Toronto Raptors organization is heading to Las Vegas for Summer League complete with a loaded roster. For Part 2 of our July mailbag we got some questions about that group of prospects, more on Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster and RJ Barrett.

Here’s Part 1 if you missed it.

Andres Del Campo @AndyDlief: “The feeling I get from many members of the media is that RJ Barrett is viewed as expendable. Why do Raps always chase away good players who want to stay in Toronto?”

RW: Barrett is mentioned as expendable mostly because of his contract and a busy situation on the wing. If you’re referring to DeMar DeRozan and Pascal Siakam with the last part I have mixed thoughts. DeRozan, like Barrett (especially as a Raptor), is a rare scoring machine lacking a consistent three-point shot and a major liability defensively. I don’t see Barrett as being as poor defensively as DeRozan, especially after he made strides this season, partly because of more dedication to that side of the game, but the advanced stats show he doesn’t really drive winning. Toronto believes in advanced metrics and in winning players so even though Barrett is a great example for Canadian fans, does have many good qualities as a player and loves being here, they will have to explore the market for him to ease luxury tax and roster concerns down the line.

Chad Reeb @reeber93: “Assuming RJ is no longer traded, how worried are you about spacing and defence with the starting group?”

RW: I don’t think Barrett will be moved until the New Year, at the earliest. More concerned with spacing than with defence as Jakob Poeltl and Scottie Barnes are elite defenders and I think Brandon Ingram is about average. Barrett and Immanuel Quickley are below average defensively, but both have their moments. Plus I could see Barrett being replaced by Ochai Agbaji pretty early in games (a big upgrade defensively and from three) allowing RJ to cook as the lead scorer on the bench (even though he’ll start).

The spacing will be a bit rough, unless Barnes takes big steps forward as a three-point shooter. Poeltl is a total non-threat from out there, Barnes was terrible from three last season, Barrett, as mentioned, is inconsistent, while Quickley is elite and Ingram can be, but prefers to operate in the mid-range.

Just Win @gsess.bsky.social: “Do you see the Raptors trying to consolidate/clear the logjam at the 2/3/4 via trade (Scottie/BI/RJ/Dick/Walter/Agbaji/CMB/Mogbo/Battle/Martin/Lawson/Rhoden) and what targets (positionally)/value can we expect from any moves?”

RW: Rhoden has already been cut, the Canadian Lawson, unfortunately, might not be far behind (though I like the scoring punch he provides). I do expect at least one of Agbaji or Barrett to be traded for a big man or point guard at some point down the line (but that’s more for luxury tax reasons than roster balance). Testing the market on Gradey Dick isn’t the worst idea to me, but they still believe he is very young and has not showed anything close to what he’s capable of. Collin Murray-Boyles, Barnes and Ingram bring some versatility in being able to play up to three different positions. Not really sure how Mogbo fits in.

Tim Amor @TimAAmor: “Differences, in your opinion, between Bobby and Masai … and your thoughts on the Raptors going forward to Bobby and Dan moving up a rung in the ladder (if that’s how it all pans out … which seems likely to me.) Basically … how will Bobby be different?”

RW: Covered this a bit in Part 1 (basically, synergy and input from all were mainstays under Ujiri and don’t see that changing). Maybe they won’t be as fixated on landing a “big fish” one day the way Ujiri was, but that’s just a guess. Yes, Bobby apprenticed under Masai, but he also previously learned from a lot of other people in the NBA and he’ll mix all of that with his own thoughts, which have been developed along the way. How different will it all be? Way too early to tell.

KiTs Korner @RealKiTsKorner: “Ja’Kobe is low on the depth chart now with the new additions. Where is he going to fit in going forward?”

RW: I wouldn’t make that assumption (though I’m a bit biased as I think Walter is going to be a quality player). Management loves Walter and was thrilled he slipped to them last year. He had a strong finish to the year and if he dominates in Vegas, which could happen, he’d have good momentum heading into camp (unlike last year when he picked up his first of two shoulder injuries). Unless Dick has a big camp, there’s no reason Walter won’t be ahead of him. By the end of last year, he looked like a better NBA player than Dick (with defence being the most obvious difference between the two).

Barrett’s spent 32% of his career minutes at shooting guard, Ingram 26% (though he was primarily utilized at SG in two of his last three years in New Orleans) and Walter already might be ahead of both defensively too.

If Walter and Dick both look much-improved maybe another wing gets moved earlier than expected?

Dan: “Ja’Kobe Walter seems too good for the Summer League. Do you foresee him playing only a couple of games? What do you expect this season from Ulrich Chomche and who will be Summer League Raptors MVP?

RW: Yes. Don’t think Walter, Jamal Shead, Battle, Lawson or Mogbo get more than two games in.

Expect Chomche to get another full season with Raptors 905 and maybe a few games with the Raptors in March or April if all goes well.

Give me Alijah Martin for best-performing Raptor in Vegas. Not sure Murray-Boyles’s play style will stand out in that circus.

Nick  @RaptorEnjoyer13: “The way i read it, we will be paying Jak 28.16M AAV after this season. Thats a bit more than the 26M i read at first. Am i reading it correctly?”

RW: Affirmative. The Raptors got Poeltl to pick up his $19.5 million option for this season to help out their cap situation and it will keep rising in each of the final three years after that to a more fair value for a centre of his calibre (with the last year not being fully guaranteed).

The 6IX @kenchu38: “When you know you are not going to be contending, what’s the point of getting into the aprons?”

RW: There is no point (sorry to Phoenix Suns fans) I do see some logic in being in the luxury tax for one year though if you have to be as long as you don’t stay in it and get hit with repeater penalties. For example, if you have to make a bad deal to get rid of a contract that will cost you good assets to do so, better to just pay the tax for a year (as long as you’re not into the first or second apron).

Mike @mikesports1992: “Why are Raptor “reporters” never the first ones to report on major Raptor news/stories?  We all just respond to whatever Shams posts these days.”

RW: Have been over this one plenty of times over the years. It’s mostly about agencies wanting the most exposure. Once upon a time, it made sense to give local beat writers or columnists most of the scoops, as newspapers were the main information source. It also applied at times to broadcasters and even prominent bloggers as things evolved.

Now it’s all about national American exposure so clients or potential clients see certain agent’s names in reports so they mostly cut out local media. Teams do a bit of this too, but the Raptors generally don’t leak to anyone.

It’s a what can you do for me ecosystem and we are sadly no longer top of the food chain. That doesn’t mean we can’t get scoops. We still do, but the game has changed.

@WolstatSun