The Toronto Raptors demolished the Washington Wizards in their preseason debut on Sunday. In the 125-98 win, Toronto was led by RJ Barrett, who scored 17 points in 14 minutes. However, Barrett, who is entering his first full season with the Raptors, suffered a shoulder injury in the second quarter. Barrett checked out immediately after but never made it back into the game. Now, a couple of days later, the update for Barrett does not look good.
In an official statement put out by the team, the Raptors announced that Barrett will miss the rest of the preseason. The Raptors are a little over two weeks away from their regular season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 23. Currently, it is unknown whether Barrett is in danger of being sidelined to start the campaign.
Top Toronto Raptors Player Sidelined for Rest of Preseason
RJ Barrett’s Career in Toronto So Far
The Raptors acquired Barrett, along with guard Immanuel Quickley, from the New York Knicks in December 2023. In his first season with the Raptors, Barrett played 32 games with the team, starting all of them. During that time, Barrett averaged 21.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. He also shot 55.3% from the field and 39.2% from the three-point line. Heading into the 2024-25 season, Barrett is one of Toronto’s key players next to Scottie Barnes.
Last month, in an interview with David Stol of Sharp Magazine, Barrett spoke about playing for the Raptors. In the interview, the Canadian native called it “a literal dream come true.”
“It’s just a literal dream come true,” he says. “I grew up with my dad taking me to games. […] When I found out I was coming home, I didn’t know how to act. I was pinching myself and telling my people, ‘We’re really here. We’re playing for the Toronto Raptors.’”
Currently, the 24-year-old has three years remaining on his contract. At least for the foreseeable future, it does not appear that Barrett will find himself on another team in the league.
The Last Word On RJ Barrett and the Toronto Raptors
Since getting traded to the Raptors, Barrett has played some of the best basketball of his career. Furthermore, while the Raptors are not in a position to contend this season, they are still an exciting team. Last season, the Raptors finished with a 25-57 record. This was their worst finish since going 22-60 during the 2010-11 season. However, the future is bright in Toronto, and a lot of that has to do with Barrett’s presence on the team.
If he were to miss any time in the regular season, it would be a massive blow to the Raptors. However, there is currently little reason to believe his status for the Raptors’ first game of the regular season is in danger. Regardless, this will be a major narrative to follow for the next couple of weeks as the Raptors aim to shock the basketball world and potentially make it back to the postseason next year.
