NBA Insider says Brandon Ingram's contract extension could put RJ Barrett on trade block

In one of the more shocking moves at the deadline, the Toronto Raptors pulled off a trade to acquire star forward Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans. Ingram then signed an extension to keep him in Toronto for three more seasons, giving the Raptors another star to pair with Scottie Barnes.

The recent addition of Ingram has sparked plenty of conversation around roster fit and roster moves the team could make.

While on the Marc Stein substack, Jake Fischer pointed out that R.J Barrett could likely be traded after Ingram's contract extension.

“Ingram's addition sparks a natural question about Barrett's fit since he's another wing scorer who holds a $25-plus million salary," reported Fischer. "…Barrett (is) someone who has to be monitored as a potential trade candidate once the offseason arrives."

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Could RJ Barrett be on the move?

On the one hand, a trio of Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, and R.J Barrett should give Raptors fans some optimism about their team for the future. Barrett, who arrived in Toronto via trade after spending time with the New York Knicks, established himself as a serviceable scorer throughout the last few years of his career.

However, the Ingram contract and their fit together could open the door for a possible trade surrounded by Barrett. Both are elite mid-range shooters. However, the Raptors maybe value Grady Dick a little more due to his superior 3-point shooting.

Barrett also has two years remaining on his deal, both where he is making close to $30 million a year, which could impact their roster decision. The Raptors now have significant money committed to Ingram, Barnes and point guard Immanuel Quickley. Despite this, Barrett is still young at 24 and has been an outstanding NBA player. He is averaging 21.6 points,6.6 rebounds, and 5.7 assists.

Barrett is also a hometown kid born in Toronto, which may make it hard for Masai Ujari to move away from him. There are other issues on the team that they have to solve if the Raptors hope to be playing for a postseason seeding as opposed to lottery odds.