Every NBA offseason it seems to be inevitable that there is always at least one major move near the time of the draft that nobody really sees coming, this year, there were many…Durant to the Houston Rockets, Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks, Anfernee Simons to the Boston Celtics. However this year one of the most stunning moves came from Toronto’s front office.
Just a day after wrapping up the 2025 NBA Draft, the Raptors stunned the NBA by deciding to part ways with their longtime president Masai Ujiri. It is a pretty shocking development, no matter how you look at it. Ujiri built that 2019 title team from the ground up. Letting him walk a day after the draft entails the kind of move that signals change, and fast.
Brooklyn should be watching this very closely
The Raptors just drafted another wing with their lottery pick. Selecting Collin Murray-Boyles at slot No. 9, to add to a stockpile that already includes Scottie Barnes, Jonathan Mogbo, Ochai Agbaji, RJ Barrett and more. That is just too many mouths to feed. And with a new president surely eager to make their mark, do not be shocked if at least one of those wings is moved this summer.
Brooklyn has had eyes on Barrett and now might be their best shot
Barrett’s not the perfect player, but he has grown into a really reliable scorer and secondary playmaker. Since getting dealt to Toronto, he has looked more confident, more efficient, and honestly more like the guy people hoped he would become when he was picked third overall a few years ago. This past season he averaged 21.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and a career-high 5.4 assists on career-best shooting splits. Barrett is a guy who could walk into Brooklyn’s locker room tomorrow and be one of the top two offensive options.
Barrett is only 25 years old, younger than most people realize. Yes, the Nets have also been tied to Johnathon Kuminga out of Golden State, a younger option, but Barrett is simply further along, and that matters when you are trying to build an actual foundation. Plus he is a more well rounded player, whereas Kuminga is just known for purely scoring.
Brooklyn has pieces to make this work
Nic Claxton has popped up in trade rumors, and Toronto reportedly wants a new center. The math lines up. With five rookies already added to the roster via the draft, the Nets need balance more than anything. A Barrett trade gives them exactly that. He is a proven player who is still young, plays hard, scores efficiently, and does not shy away from the moment. If the Raptors are retooling, the Nets need to be first in line. This is the kind of opportunity that doesn’t come around often, and Brooklyn can’t afford to let it pass, especially with the blunder that happened on draft night.