The 2023-24 season has finally ended for the Raptors.
Toronto experienced its fair share of ups and downs, all while transitioning into a new era of basketball. At the forefront of it all stands Scottie Barnes, who has transcended into stardom as he takes the keys to the franchise.
Barnes is one of the very few certainties around the Raptors and their future. This offseason, several questions will arise as free agency and the NBA Draft will quickly approach.
What's next for the Raptors during the offseason? Here is a look at the decisions they'll face during free agency, the NBA Draft and beyond.
MORE: Post-March Madness 2024 NBA Mock Draft: Where do Donovan Clingan and Zach Edey land?
Raptors upcoming free agents
Toronto's free agency situation is an intriguing one. Among Toronto's most notable free agents are Bruce Brown Jr., Gary Trent Jr. and Immanuel Quickley.
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Player option | Team option |
| Jordan Nwora | Jontay Porter* | None | Bruce Brown Jr. |
| Garrett Temple | Immanuel Quickley | ||
| Gary Trent Jr. |
*Two-way
Brown has a team option worth $23.0 million for the 2024-25 season. After holding on to Brown at the 2024 trade deadline, the Raptors could look to exercise that option to seek a trade during the offseason.
Trent is an unrestricted free agent and can move on to another team. After the trade deadline, Raptors GM Bobby Webster said, "I think it's a little TBD on Gary" being a part of the team's future.
Quickley is a restricted free agent, meaning Toronto can match any offer sheet he signs with another team. After motioning to make Quickley the point guard of the future, the Raptors will be evaluating how much money to offer the 24-year-old.
Raptors future salaries, roster
R.J. Barrett will be Toronto's highest-paid player in the 2024-25 season and is also under contract through 2027. Barnes is entering his fourth season, so he is eligible to sign a maximum contract extension this offseason.
All figures via Spotrac.
| Player | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 |
| R.J. Barrett | $25,794,643 | $27,705,357 | $29,616,071 | UFA |
| Bruce Brown Jr. | $23,000,000 (TO) | UFA | ||
| Jakob Poeltl | $19,500,000 | $19,500,000 | $19,500,000 (PO) | UFA |
| Kelly Olynyk | $12,804,878 | $13,445,122 | UFA | |
| Chris Boucher | $10,810,000 | UFA | ||
| Scottie Barnes | $10,130,980 | RFA | ||
| Gradey Dick | $4,763,760 | $4,990,560 (TO) | $7,131,511 (TO) | RFA |
| Jalen McDaniels | $4,741,800 | UFA | ||
| Ochai Agbaji | $4,310,280 (TO) | $6,383,525 (TO) | RFA | |
| Javon Freeman-LIberty | $1,891,857 (NG) | RFA | ||
| D.J. Carton | Two-Way | RFA | ||
| Mouhamadou Gueye | Two-Way | RFA |
PO = Player option
TO = Team option
NG = Non-guaranteed
UFA = Unrestricted free agent
RFA = Restricted free agent
Raptors 2024 NBA Draft picks
The Raptors could select as many as three times in the 2024 NBA Draft. Here's a rundown of Toronto's draft capital:
First round
- Raptors first-round pick (top-six protected)
- Pacers first-round pick (top-three protected)
Second round
- Pistons second-round pick (no protections)
Per the terms of the 2023 trade that sent Poeltl back to Toronto, the Raptors' first-round pick in the upcoming draft is top-six protected. The Raptors will keep their pick if it falls in the top six. If the pick falls outside the top six, it will be conveyed to the Spurs.
Toronto finished with the sixth-worst record in the 2023-24 season, giving it a 45.8 percent chance of keeping its pick.
The Raptors acquired the Pacers' first-round pick as part of the January Pascal Siakam trade. With Indiana qualifying for the NBA Playoffs, its pick will be conveyed to Toronto.
Toronto acquired Detroit's second-round pick from New York in the O.G. Anunoby trade. If the Pistons finish with the NBA's worst record, the Raptors will make the first pick in the second round of this year's draft.
MORE: Detailing the Raptors' future NBA Draft capital
One burning question
What identity is the team developing?
This season, the Raptors made it abundantly clear that the future revolves around Barnes.
Toronto moved on from longtime franchise staples to get younger while creating more roster flexibility moving forward. The Raptors have chosen a direction but now must develop an identity.
Barnes is a 22-year-old All-Star, which is nothing to scoff at. At 6-7, he's uniquely skilled as a scorer, playmaker and defender and he's only scratching the surface.
So, what's next?
With Agbaji, Barrett, Dick and Quickley, the Raptors have their young core. By signing Olynyk to a contract extension, the team has a veteran big who can use his passing and floor-spacing abilities to unlock the potential of their young players.
Where decisions get tough is during the NBA Draft and free agency. If the Raptors wind up with both first-round picks, do they prioritize more shooting around Barnes? A starting center for the future? Another slasher? These choices depend on the identity the franchise chooses to lean into.
As far as free agency goes, where does Trent fit in? Will the team be aggressive in its pursuit of a deal for Brown? Are there any veterans on the market that the team will aggressively pursue?
Around the NBA, the Thunder and Magic are great examples of teams leaning into an identity around a young star to return to prominence. The blueprint is there but it's up to the Raptors to tailor it to their situation.
