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The Toronto Raptors are one of the more interesting teams in the Eastern Conference this season because of where they could be in the standings come January. With how wide open the East is, there is a chance for the Raptors to make a run at full strength, which will play a direct role in the futures of RJ Barrett and Ochai Agbaji.

Both Gradey Dick and Ja'Kobe Walter will get more playing time during the 2025-26 season, which draws obvious questions about Barrett and Agbaji. Neither player is necessarily on the trade block in terms of Toronto searching and willing to take the best offer for Barrett or Agbaji, but it's hard to imagine both remain with the Raptors given the team's tax implications.

oldncreaky wrote:Well duh. I think it is pretty obvious that someone will be moved at the TDL to duck under the luxury tax

But the candidates probably include Ingram and Dick as well as Barrett and Agbaji. One of them will go. If the FO is smart, they move the player that is the best combination
1) Not in team's plans next season and beyond
and
2) best combination of assets returned (or at least a low cost to dump)

I am in favour of Ingram as the guy to go. If he proves me wrong and he is a legit #1 option, fine, but I am very sceptical that a team with Ingram as the #1 option is anything more than a 1st round playoff exit. It is also possible if TOR has some luck, and a healthy BI with good counting stats might recoup more than the FRP it took to get him.

Merit wrote:

oldncreaky wrote:Well duh. I think it is pretty obvious that someone will be moved at the TDL to duck under the luxury tax

But the candidates probably include Ingram and Dick as well as Barrett and Agbaji. One of them will go. If the FO is smart, they move the player that is the best combination
1) Not in team's plans next season and beyond
and
2) best combination of assets returned (or at least a low cost to dump)

I am in favour of Ingram as the guy to go. If he proves me wrong and he is a legit #1 option, fine, but I am very sceptical that a team with Ingram as the #1 option is anything more than a 1st round playoff exit. It is also possible if TOR has some luck, and a healthy BI with good counting stats might recoup more than the FRP it took to get him.

We aren’t looking to trade BI without even having seen him play. Like there’s hot takes and there’s not takes. This is definitely not it. The candidates include anyone on the team and all picks. Doesn’t make them likely to go.

I’m tired of seeing this happen. We did it with OG, Norm, Pascal, Fred, Jak. We don’t need to do it again.

Pointgod wrote:Yeah no ****. This is why all of the dismissal about us being close to the luxury tax was just cope. These have real world implications on the team moving forward. Either we move RJ for salary relief and pray we don’t give up a pick (disaster scenario) or we lose Ochai and our depth. Unless we’re willing to move Barnes or Ingram for salary relief, we can’t keep both without paying the luxury tax.

Harcore Fenton Mun wrote:

Pointgod wrote:Yeah no ****. This is why all of the dismissal about us being close to the luxury tax was just cope. These have real world implications on the team moving forward. Either we move RJ for salary relief and pray we don’t give up a pick (disaster scenario) or we lose Ochai and our depth. Unless we’re willing to move Barnes or Ingram for salary relief, we can’t keep both without paying the luxury tax.

"We couldn't pass up on this opportunity" Has a price.

tdotrep2 wrote:

Harcore Fenton Mun wrote:

Pointgod wrote:Yeah no ****. This is why all of the dismissal about us being close to the luxury tax was just cope. These have real world implications on the team moving forward. Either we move RJ for salary relief and pray we don’t give up a pick (disaster scenario) or we lose Ochai and our depth. Unless we’re willing to move Barnes or Ingram for salary relief, we can’t keep both without paying the luxury tax.

"We couldn't pass up on this opportunity" Has a price.

They obviously don't truly love RJ. He's a tough fit on any team with the money he's going to be after.

Pointgod wrote:Yeah no ****. This is why all of the dismissal about us being close to the luxury tax was just cope. These have real world implications on the team moving forward. Either we move RJ for salary relief and pray we don’t give up a pick (disaster scenario) or we lose Ochai and our depth. Unless we’re willing to move Barnes or Ingram for salary relief, we can’t keep both without paying the luxury tax.

bluerap23 wrote:We have other options as well. If Jakobe passes Gradey on the depth chart (I think he will), Gradey becomes a good trade candidate. There is no rush to decide.

Jerry Lucas wrote:

bluerap23 wrote:We have other options as well. If Jakobe passes Gradey on the depth chart (I think he will), Gradey becomes a good trade candidate. There is no rush to decide.

This year I think it's borderline impossible for Gradey to have a bad enough 3rd season to become a tax ducking trade candidate by the deadline. The potential surplus value he will have remaining on his rookie scale even at that point will be too much to trade by the deadline assuming he doesn't have some 3rd season from hell. By the trade deadline he'll still have the rest of the season and all of next season remaining on his rookie scale.

ConSarnit wrote:

Pointgod wrote:Yeah no ****. This is why all of the dismissal about us being close to the luxury tax was just cope. These have real world implications on the team moving forward. Either we move RJ for salary relief and pray we don’t give up a pick (disaster scenario) or we lose Ochai and our depth. Unless we’re willing to move Barnes or Ingram for salary relief, we can’t keep both without paying the luxury tax.

My guess is most people don’t realize that non-tax teams get paid out by the tax teams at the end of the year. You often see the “who cares it’s not your money argument” but that fails to take into account the difference in being a tax team vs non-tax team.

If we’re $2m over the tax that’s a $3m tax payment this year. Not huge by any account but…

Last season non-tax teams got paid $11m from tax teams. So 2+3+11 and the Raptors would be looking at a $16m difference if they decide to stay in the tax. Zero chance Rogers is going to pay the tax to forego getting an extra $10m+ in luxury tax payouts.

We will be dodging the tax before the trade deadline.

ConSarnit wrote:

Pointgod wrote:Yeah no ****. This is why all of the dismissal about us being close to the luxury tax was just cope. These have real world implications on the team moving forward. Either we move RJ for salary relief and pray we don’t give up a pick (disaster scenario) or we lose Ochai and our depth. Unless we’re willing to move Barnes or Ingram for salary relief, we can’t keep both without paying the luxury tax.

My guess is most people don’t realize that non-tax teams get paid out by the tax teams at the end of the year. You often see the “who cares it’s not your money argument” but that fails to take into account the difference in being a tax team vs non-tax team.

If we’re $2m over the tax that’s a $3m tax payment this year. Not huge by any account but…

Last season non-tax teams got paid $11m from tax teams. So 2+3+11 and the Raptors would be looking at a $16m difference if they decide to stay in the tax. Zero chance Rogers is going to pay the tax to forego getting an extra $10m+ in luxury tax payouts.

We will be dodging the tax before the trade deadline.

dagger wrote:

ConSarnit wrote:

Pointgod wrote:Yeah no ****. This is why all of the dismissal about us being close to the luxury tax was just cope. These have real world implications on the team moving forward. Either we move RJ for salary relief and pray we don’t give up a pick (disaster scenario) or we lose Ochai and our depth. Unless we’re willing to move Barnes or Ingram for salary relief, we can’t keep both without paying the luxury tax.

My guess is most people don’t realize that non-tax teams get paid out by the tax teams at the end of the year. You often see the “who cares it’s not your money argument” but that fails to take into account the difference in being a tax team vs non-tax team.

If we’re $2m over the tax that’s a $3m tax payment this year. Not huge by any account but…

Last season non-tax teams got paid $11m from tax teams. So 2+3+11 and the Raptors would be looking at a $16m difference if they decide to stay in the tax. Zero chance Rogers is going to pay the tax to forego getting an extra $10m+ in luxury tax payouts.

We will be dodging the tax before the trade deadline.

The $11m payout was the smallest in years because of the aprons. And a small tax payment isn't such a big deal. One home playoff game would generate significant offset, and if the team had a couple of home playoff games, I'd estimate it fully offsets the tax money. So the most likely answer to this is how good the team is by the deadline. Is it only a play-in team, possibly without a home game, or is heading for a top 6 spot? Obviously, talent will dictate as well. If all of the young guys make modest progress, the team might not rush to get rid of any, but if one or two make big leaps, there will be be enough clarity to move someone from the remainder.

Raptorfan2012 wrote:

ConSarnit wrote:

Pointgod wrote:Yeah no ****. This is why all of the dismissal about us being close to the luxury tax was just cope. These have real world implications on the team moving forward. Either we move RJ for salary relief and pray we don’t give up a pick (disaster scenario) or we lose Ochai and our depth. Unless we’re willing to move Barnes or Ingram for salary relief, we can’t keep both without paying the luxury tax.

My guess is most people don’t realize that non-tax teams get paid out by the tax teams at the end of the year. You often see the “who cares it’s not your money argument” but that fails to take into account the difference in being a tax team vs non-tax team.

If we’re $2m over the tax that’s a $3m tax payment this year. Not huge by any account but…

Last season non-tax teams got paid $11m from tax teams. So 2+3+11 and the Raptors would be looking at a $16m difference if they decide to stay in the tax. Zero chance Rogers is going to pay the tax to forego getting an extra $10m+ in luxury tax payouts.

We will be dodging the tax before the trade deadline.

So.. goodbye RJ?