Trade season has officially arrived. Los Angeles Lakers fans have already witnessed some major wheeling and dealing occur ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft as the Memphis Grizzlies loaded up on future draft picks by sending Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic.
It'll be interesting to see if the Lakers will pull off a similar move following their disappointing playoff exit. General manager Rob Pelinka must find a solution to help lessen the burden on LeBron James at this stage of his career while keeping Luka Doncic from shouldering more of the offensive load than he has to.
While there have yet to be any reports linking a specific name to the Purple and Gold, Pelinka and the Lakers might have just found the perfect answer to their problems.
Lakers Rumors: Raptors' RJ Barrett Reportedly Available Before NBA Draft
After a stint with the New York Knicks, RJ Barrett returned to his homeland to play for the Toronto Raptors and now finds himself on the outside looking in despite putting up some of the best numbers of his career during the 2024-25 campaign.
According to Evan Sidery of Forbes, the Raptors "appear open to trading" Barrett as they plan to build around Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, and Gradey Dick on the perimeter. Despite the starting center position being the top priority of the Lakers' front office this summer, adding a player like Barrett to the fold should be under consideration as well.
The Raptors appear open to trading RJ Barrett as they plan to prioritize Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick as their starting wing trio moving forward.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 15, 2025
Barrett produced a career-best season in Toronto averaging 21.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. pic.twitter.com/3jBOZ6i31R
Much like James and Doncic, Barrett has been a known commodity since his teenage years, as he was considered one of the most promising prospects to come out of Canada in quite some time. Being under that type of microscope at such a young age isn't the only connection Barrett has with the Lakers' biggest stars, either.
NBA Hall of Famer and former point guard for the Purple and Gold, as well as James' current podcast co-host, Steve Nash, is Barrett's godfather. Considering how the 40-year-old star likes to be surrounded by familiar faces, a possible trade with the Raptors shouldn't be dismissed.
If there were any questions about Barrett's potential fit with the Lakers or whether he could handle being in a market like Los Angeles, then LeBron, Pelinka, and JJ Redick know who to turn to for answers to those inquiries.
As for his contract, Barrett has two years and about $57.3 million in cash remaining. He'll carry a $27.7 million cap hit in 2025-26, meaning the Lakers would need to trade multiple players to facilitate a deal.
Whether Barrett winds up being pursued heavily by the Lakers or not, fans can expect the Purple and Gold to be linked to several veterans via trade this summer.