Rumor: Bulls Interested in RJ Barrett (UPDATE OP POST)

Post #1 » by **HomoSapien** » Tue May 27, 2025 6:51 am

Per Raptors Reddit fans, Davis reported the Brandon Ingram rumors before the trade happened.

I've always been lukewarm on Barrett. He's young and puts up numbers, but for whatever reason, he just doesn't feel like a true impact player. Not sure what Toronto would want for him, but Patrick Williams and Ayo (or Carter) get us there salary wise. If the "sweetener" is the Blazer's pick, I could talk myself into it. If it's this year's first round pick, I probably pass... then again, if Barrett were in this draft, he would be going higher than 12.

UPDATE: There was a link posted that claims that this reporter is not real. I'll leave the thread up for now for discussion's sake, but take the rumor (and of course all rumors) with a grain of salt).

The Box Office · Post #2 » by **The Box Office** » Tue May 27, 2025 7:00 am

RJ Barrett is "aight" but our 12th pick should not be involved in a trade for him. We rather take our chances in the draft.

A combination of Vooch, Pat Williams, Ayo, or Coby White in a trade for RJ Barrett is fine though.

MrSparkle · Post #3 » by **MrSparkle** » Tue May 27, 2025 8:51 am

Horrible defense, bad 3P shooting… what’s AK waiting for!

Post #4 » by **DASMACKDOWN** » Tue May 27, 2025 10:19 am

HomoSapien wrote:

Read on Twitter

Per Raptors Reddit fans, Davis reported the Brandon Ingram rumors before the trade happened.

I've always been lukewarm on Barrett. He's young and puts up numbers, but for whatever reason, he just doesn't feel like a true impact player. Not sure what Toronto would want for him, but Patrick Williams and Ayo (or Carter) get us there salary wise. If the "sweetener" is the Blazer's pick, I could talk myself into it. If it's this year's first round pick, I probably pass... then again, if Barrett were in this draft, he would be going higher than 12.

I wouldn't even trade Ayo straight up for RJ.

This honestly would be like getting a poor mans version of Demar without the efficiency and clutch-ness

Now the only way I would even conceivably go with a move like that, is if Ayo definitely wasn't coming back due to cost. We would get off Pat's contract which might be the real prize in all this and only have RJ for 2 seasons.

The thing is RJ certainly does not fit what that Bulls are trying to do.

Post #5 » by **DASMACKDOWN** » Tue May 27, 2025 10:19 am

AK has the right to make moves but this aint it.

TheGOATRises007 · Post #6 » by **TheGOATRises007** » Tue May 27, 2025 10:35 am

Hard pass.

Hangtime84 · Post #7 » by **Hangtime84** » Tue May 27, 2025 10:57 am

More like Bulls called to see what would it take to move up. Suggestion was RJ Barrett.

bullskokie · Post #8 » by **bullskokie** » Tue May 27, 2025 11:38 am

Hard pass! Id keep Pat for another year… i can feel he will break out next season. Its now or never for Pat!

_txchilibowl_ · Post #9 » by **_txchilibowl_** » Tue May 27, 2025 12:09 pm

Eh...RJ is one of my least favorite players in the league but he fits the criteria of undervalued talent that could break out with maturity and a change of scenery.

Depending on the bad salary going out (PWill/Vuc) I could see it.

Post #10 » by **dougthonus** » Tue May 27, 2025 12:27 pm

HomoSapien wrote:

Read on Twitter

Per Raptors Reddit fans, Davis reported the Brandon Ingram rumors before the trade happened.

I've always been lukewarm on Barrett. He's young and puts up numbers, but for whatever reason, he just doesn't feel like a true impact player. Not sure what Toronto would want for him, but Patrick Williams and Ayo (or Carter) get us there salary wise. If the "sweetener" is the Blazer's pick, I could talk myself into it. If it's this year's first round pick, I probably pass... then again, if Barrett were in this draft, he would be going higher than 12.

Patrick Williams + Jevon Carter for Barrett works without anyone else. That's the most reasonable RJ Barrett trade IMO. Raptors would have to believe Pat can be worth his contract with some new scenery and time.

Chi town · Post #11 » by **Chi town** » Tue May 27, 2025 12:32 pm

MrSparkle wrote:Horrible defense, bad 3P shooting… what’s AK waiting for!

Dude is not good.

Pass.

Raps are trying to unload him and drum up a market.

sco · Post #12 » by **sco** » Tue May 27, 2025 12:34 pm

Yeah, I look at Barrett like Sabonis. He's a guy who is a "name" around the league, but his current team is paying him decent coin that they'd rather deploy elsewhere because the team isn't winning with him. I used to like his defense in NY when he first came into the league, but now he's average at best (reminds me of Ayo in a lot of ways). Also he's making around $30M for the next 2 seasons.

On the plus side, I never thought of him as a chucker. He's gonna turn 25 before the season starts. His deal would allow us to push forward some of our expirings one year. His 3pt shot seems to be improving...up to 35% last season on 5+ shots. His FG% is up from horrible levels to start his career.

TheSuzerain · Post #13 » by **TheSuzerain** » Tue May 27, 2025 12:58 pm

DASMACKDOWN wrote:AK has the right to make moves but this aint it.

He should not be allowed to trade picks or take on significant future salary.

Post #14 » by **DuckIII** » Tue May 27, 2025 1:05 pm

_txchilibowl_ wrote:Eh...RJ is one of my least favorite players in the league but he fits the criteria of undervalued talent that could break out with maturity and a change of scenery.

Is he? Seems like very much a known commodity at this point.

Also, not enough panic in here for my tastes. Trading our lottery pick to “compete now” with a “veteran star” like RJ Barrett has been the elephant in the room all offseason. A move like this has always been the “most AK” of the available options.

Pat and Vuc? Sure. But that is not the deal.

League Circles · Post #15 » by **League Circles** » Tue May 27, 2025 1:20 pm

If Vuc, Patrick or Collins would part of this I could squint and see a deal I'd like. Otherwise barf.

Would have to be a pretty sweet deal to justify taking on his extra year unless Patrick is outgoing.

WindyCityBorn · Post #16 » by **WindyCityBorn** » Tue May 27, 2025 1:38 pm

The Box Office wrote:RJ Barrett is "aight" but our 12th pick should not be involved in a trade for him. We rather take our chances in the draft.

A combination of Vooch, Pat Williams, Ayo, or Coby White in a trade for RJ Barrett is fine though.

Wouldn’t trade Ayo or Coby for Barrett.

WindyCityBorn · Post #17 » by **WindyCityBorn** » Tue May 27, 2025 1:40 pm

DuckIII wrote:
_txchilibowl_ wrote:Eh...RJ is one of my least favorite players in the league but he fits the criteria of undervalued talent that could break out with maturity and a change of scenery.

Is he? Seems like very much a known commodity at this point.

Also, not enough panic in here for my tastes. Trading our lottery pick to “compete now” with a “veteran star” like RJ Barrett has been the elephant in the room all offseason. A move like this has always been the “most AK” of

Pat and Vuc? Sure. But that is not the deal.

RJ doesn’t come close to qualifying as a star. At least Vuc was a current all-star at the time.

Post #18 » by **Ice Man** » Tue May 27, 2025 1:41 pm

Here were the ESPN Top 100 rankings for the HS class of 2018 -

1) RJ Barrett
2) Zion Williamson
3) Cam Reddish

All ended up at Duke, of course, and all in various ways have disappointed in the NBA.

League Circles · Post #19 » by **League Circles** » Tue May 27, 2025 1:46 pm

DuckIII wrote:
_txchilibowl_ wrote:Eh...RJ is one of my least favorite players in the league but he fits the criteria of undervalued talent that could break out with maturity and a change of scenery.

Is he? Seems like very much a known commodity at this point.

Also, not enough panic in here for my tastes. Trading our lottery pick to “compete now” with a “veteran star” like RJ Barrett has been the elephant in the room all offseason. A move like this has always been the “most AK” of

Pat and Vuc? Sure. But that is not the deal.

What do you mean when you say "that is not the deal"? Am I missing something? I see no specifics reported.

Extremely difficult to believe that the Bulls, holding a mess of mediocre wings (Patrick, Huerter, Ayo, Ball) and a #12 pick, with a real need, would trade the pick for another guy in that caliber who is paid big and for longer than Vuc/Collins/Huerter, without moving Patrick.

I think it's virtually guaranteed that we won't be offering our pick for him and that Patrick is the primary piece. Could be like Patrick and either Ayo, Ball, Carter, or Terry. Or maybe Patrick and Huerter for Barrett and a small piece.

Any Bulls trades have to be viewed in the context of their deep roster and lack of roster spots.

kodo · Post #20 » by **kodo** » Tue May 27, 2025 1:46 pm

He's a very poor scorer at 54% TS, which is well below league average. His career TS% is 53%.
This goes back to the question I always have, if the vet player we're acquiring is worse than Lavine (64% TS) what are we even doing here.

I guess if he's an elite defender it makes sense but I didn't think he had that rep. He doesn't give us any more length on the perimeter, he's not really much taller than Coby.

Spoiler:

I don't see much point in getting any vet that's
- not a great shooter
- not a great defender
- not a rim protector / rim runner

Still developing players are worth a gamble just like another draft pick, but Barrett will be in his 7th year there's no real upside there.