Masai Ujiri Discusses Looming Contract Extensions for Raptors Trio

It’s a bit of a strange offseason for the Toronto Raptors.

The past few years have been filled with uncertainty. What’s going to happen with Fred VanVleet? What about Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby? Even last summer brought questions around Immanuel Quickley’s restricted free agency and Scottie Barnes’ looming max extension.

This year, things feel more settled.

Toronto has 10 players under guaranteed contracts for next season, including its entire projected starting five. Only Garrett Temple and Chris Boucher are heading into free agency, and the expectation is the Raptors will look relatively similar when next season tips off.

The lingering questions are more about extensions and what the organization plans to do with RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, and Ochai Agbaji, all of whom are eligible for new deals this offseason.

“It’s our intention that these guys are the type of players that we want on our team,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said Wednesday during his season-ending media availability. “I think all three that you mentioned have done really well.”

There’s no urgency to lock in any of the three.

Poeltl is under contract through next season and holds a $19.5 million player option for the year after that. He’s coming off a career-best season and remains a critical part of Toronto’s defense, which made noticeable strides this year.

“Jakob has been like a backbone for us when he’s played here,” Ujiri said. “I would say he’s one of the guys that had one of the better years here.”

Agbaji made progress as a three-point shooter and two-way contributor, establishing himself as a valuable role player off the bench. He could be in line for a new deal depending on how things unfold.

The biggest question is Barrett. He still has two years left on his contract before hitting free agency in the summer of 2027. He took a step forward on both ends this year, but given the time left on his deal and Toronto’s focus on flexibility, an extension this summer appears unlikely.

With most of the roster already in place and no major contract decisions looming, this offseason may not have the drama of years past. But for a team focused on internal growth and long-term planning, that might be exactly what Toronto needs.

Further Reading