Rival execs think the Toronto Raptors are overpaying key players

For all the criticisms you could levy at the Toronto Raptors’ front office in recent years, it’s hard to call them out for being frugal.

The Raptors have four players: Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley, who are all making upwards of US$25 million next season. Both Barnes and Ingram will be making more than US$40 million starting in 2026-27.

Spending money isn’t inherently a bad thing: in fact, it’s what all fans should expect of their teams trying to compete.

The biggest question mark for Toronto is: Will their hefty salaries lead to a good team?

Toronto is looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022, having finished 11th in the Eastern Conference this past season. The Raptors finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 30-52, tied for the eighth-worst performance of their 30-year franchise history.

And rival executives appear to be taking notice of the Raptors’ heavy payroll, as per Sportsnet’s Michael Grange in a recent article about Bobby Webster now heading up Toronto’s basketball operations.

“I know sometimes you have to pay a premium for players in Canada, but that much?” an executive told Grange.

A one-time All-Star, Ingram has yet to play for the team, having come over in a midseason trade from the New Orleans Pelicans while nursing a lengthy ankle injury. He is a major factor in how exactly the team’s season will play out this year.

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