Toronto Raptors star RJ Barrett wants to be with the team forever

RJ Barrett walked into a room on Monday at the OVO Centre, less than 12 hours after the team's Game 7 playoff loss, and the first words out of his mouth were how much he'd miss the reporters.

Barrett was one of many bright spots for the Toronto Raptors in these playoffs. He scored 20+ points in six of seven games and recorded 165 total points, the second-highest total by a Raptor in their postseason debut with the team.

The 26-year-old from Mississauga now has an interesting summer ahead, as potential contract negotiations swirl around whether the Raptors front office will offer him an extension before he enters the final year of his deal.

If Barrett had it his way, he'd be a Raptor for life.

"I want to be here for the rest of my career, and I don't ever want to leave," Barrett told reporters during Monday's season-ending availability. "That's out of my control. I've done my part on the court this year, and I hope things work out that way."

"I want to be here for the rest of my career. I don't ever want to leave. I don't have any problems openly saying that.

"That's out of my control. I have done my part on the court this year, and I hope things work out that way." RJ Barrett speaking from the heart about wanting… pic.twitter.com/rUUjRJPZuS — William Lou (@william_lou) May 4, 2026

Barrett came to his hometown team from the New York Knicks during the 2023-24 season in exchange for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn.

At the time of the trade, Barrett's contract was labelled "toxic" by NBA analysts, but after a strong 2025-26 season, it's something fans could now argue has been earned.

Barrett's most iconic Raptors moment came in Game 6 at Scotiabank Arena, when he hit a 2019 Kawhi Leonard-esque three-pointer with 1.3 seconds left to force a Game 7.

The Raptors went on to lose that Game 7, but it's a result Barrett believes might have been different if that game had been played at home.

"You were able to see what we did at home the whole series," Barrett said. "The fans here are insane, and it helped us win our games."

RJ Barrett on if the Game 7 outcome would be different if it were played in Toronto instead of Cleveland:

“Yeah, for sure. You were able to see what we did at home the whole series. “I think the one that hurts is Game 5. That was the one right there.”#WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/WokWAU8chb — Marley Dickinson (@marleydickinson) May 4, 2026

Several Raptors players, including Barrett, pointed to Game 5 in Cleveland as a game they should have won.

In that game, the Raptors lost Brandon Ingram to injury before halftime and couldn't keep pace late, giving the Cavaliers a 3-2 series lead.

There will always be a "what if" around Ingram and Immanuel Quickley, and what the series might have looked like if both starters were fully healthy.

If there's a silver lining from the tough loss, the Raptors now know what they have and the direction they need to go to have success in the 2026-2027 season.

Barrett said his plans for the next few weeks will be breaking down film and figuring out where he can get better over the offseason. But in terms of the team's future, it's one he’s already excited about.