TORONTO – Bobby Webster is willing to attend 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 in every of the primary questions Webster was asked was if he was open to signing a contract extension with Barrett this summer as he enters the ultimate 12 months of his current deal.
“We’re going to maintain all those conversations private,” said Webster. “Spoke to RJ at the tip of the season and spoke to him throughout the season.
“I believe one of the best part is he’s under contract, so that call may also be at the tip 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 Latest York Knicks in 2022. Toronto traded for him and Immanuel Quickley in December 2023.
Webster’s issue isn’t a lot that he doesn’t want Barrett to play for the Raptors past the following season — it’s that he won’t find a way to afford him.
Unless Toronto finds a solution to shed significant contracts this summer, it’ll be over the salary cap when the following NBA season begins in October. The Raptors payroll might be roughly $193 million against a projected $165-million cap, meaning they’ll need 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 in addition to fellow starters Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl.
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Barrett is earning $29.6 million this coming season and would expect to earn more on a brand 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 in need of the 15 needed to fill out an NBA roster.
“I believe there’s at all times been that notion that when the time is correct, 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 spotted this won’t be the championship-contending team, and so we held off.
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“But going forward, I believe it’ll be a bit more on how does this group grow? But in addition, what moves we make over the summer. We’ve got full support (from MLSE), and I believe each time the time is correct, we’ll be ready.”
Barrett averaged 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and three.3 assists within the regular season, with the Raptors struggling to a 6-9 record when he was injured at the tip of November and into December.
The 25-year-old was one in all Toronto’s most reliable players in its first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 24.1 points, seven rebounds, 4 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.3 blocks over the seven-game series. Most memorably, he sank a 29-foot three-pointer within the dying seconds of the Raptors’ 112-110 additional time win in Game 6.
“I believe you usually knew that he was going to play a giant, physical form of basketball,” said Webster. “That was in full display, him attending to the paint, him attending to the rim. He had somewhat little bit of a tricky stretch, going through some injuries.
“I believe he got back to full health and also you saw that within the playoffs.”
When Barrett spoke at his season-ending news conference Monday, he was explicit that he desires to stay along with his hometown team.
“I believe that that is the simpler query for me to reply because I’m from here and who doesn’t wish to play at home?” said Barrett, who said that at this point it’s out of his control. “So, after all, I’m attempting to stay here. I understand the business, but I need to remain here. I actually have no problem saying that. I need to be here. I need to be here for the remaining of my profession.
“I don’t ever want to go away, like I don’t have any problems openly saying that.”
Head coach Darko Rajakovic said that Barrett had impressed him all season, but especially within the playoffs when the six-foot-six swingman was tasked with guarding six-foot-11 all-star centre Evan Mobley.
“I believe that he made big strides since joining us here, he’s showing increasingly more every month, yearly that he’s more of a two-way player,” said Rajakovic on Tuesday. “I used to be really impressed with the defence that he played there against Cleveland. He’s a player that likes the challenge and he reacts rather well once we put a challenge in front of him, and we ask him to do certain things to enhance his game.
“He did a extremely good job as a pacesetter as well … His confidence is growing that he could be an elite two-way player, and his voice is growing with the team as well.”
Toronto will pick nineteenth and fiftieth overall within the NBA Draft on June 23. Webster said that he’s still in a constructing state of mind, though the Raptors had the youngest roster on this post-season.
“Our philosophy here has at all times been getting two-way players,” said Webster. “We still need more higher players. There might be a time when it appears like, ‘OK, this specific piece is what puts us excessive.’
“I believe this summer, whether it’s the draft or free agency or trades, we’ll just be taking a look at one of the best two-way players available.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press