Toronto Raptors general manager Bobby Webster met with media on Wednesday for his end-of-season press conference.Cole Burston/The Canadian Press
Toronto Raptors’ general manager Bobby Webster called his team’s season a step in the right direction.
That step included a 46-36 record – a 16-win improvement over the prior season – capped off with the franchise’s first postseason berth in four years. Though Toronto fell in the first round, it brought playoff basketball, featuring raucous crowds, back to Scotiabank Arena.
“It doesn’t mean that the next step or the next few steps aren’t going to be even harder,” Webster said. “I think that was a lot of our messaging over the last couple of days to the team.
“Both things can be true – you can be proud of what you did but also have a hunger and grit in the summer to advance beyond that.”
Raptors general manager Bobby Webster held his season-ending news conference at Toronto’s OVO Athletic Centre. Webster spoke about how proud he was of the Raptors playoff run and about the possibility of re-signing Canadian guard RJ Barrett, who is entering the final season of his contract.
The Canadian Press
Part of the team’s pride stems from its seven-game showing against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The series went the distance with two of Toronto’s heavy hitters – Brandon Ingram and Immanuel Quickley – sidelined with injuries for part, if not all, of the series.
The absences put young players in roles they likely wouldn’t have had under regular circumstances.
“We were the youngest in the playoffs this season, and that speaks to the growth and where the trajectory of this group can go – we’re excited about it,” Webster said. “We’re also not going to say, ‘Oh wow, that seven-game [series] spoke volumes about the next three or four years.’”
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Part of building includes addressing expiring – or extension-eligible – contracts this summer.
RJ Barrett said he wants to stay in Toronto on Monday. The Mississauga native’s contract expires after the 2026-27 season but is eligible for an extension this summer. He averaged more than 24 points in the series against the Cavaliers, along with seven rebounds, four assists and 1.3 steals per game.
“I spoke to RJ at the end of the season, I’ve spoken to him throughout the season,” Webster said. “I think the best part is, he is under contract, so that decision can also be at the end of [next] season.”
Garrett Temple is a free agent this summer. Various Raptors have voiced their love for his leadership and presence around the team. Temple, who turns 40 on May 8, served more as an off-court mentor than on-court force this season.
RJ Barrett was the Raptors’ top scorer in their seven-game series against the Cleveland Cavaliers and hit the game-winning shot for his team that forced Game 7.Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press
He averaged just 3.3 minutes across 22 games.
“He’s probably one of the guys I talk most with – similar age, cares about the right things for the team – so that’s great to have him,” Webster said, adding that it’s been great to see the relationships Temple has formed with Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles and others.
“At the same time, there’s only 15 roster spots, and he knows that,” Webster said. “We’ve been fortunate enough to have one for him every year, and we’d love to have him back, but we’ll have to see how the summer plays out.”
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Sandro Mamukelashvili’s future is uncertain. Should he not exercise his US$2.8-million player option for the 2026-27 season, the soon-to-be 27-year-old will become a free agent.
Webster said Mamukelashvili fit well with the Raptors.
“We’ll talk to his [representation]. We’ll talk to Mamu, I think he wants to be here,” Webster said. “There’s probably financial realities of the NBA, but we’ll do everything we can to retain him.”
Mamukelashvili set career highs in games played (80) and points per game (11.2), while serving as a key rotational figure with the Raptors. On Monday, he said his main priority as a competitor is to win.
Sandro Mamukelashvili can become a free agent this summer if he declines the player option in his contract.Jason Miller/Getty Images
“Hopefully it’s going to be here, I really want to be back,” Mamukelashvili said. “I love Toronto, I love people, I love the organization and [head] coach Darko [Rajakovic].”
Beyond contracts, Webster said there are two approaches the team can look at moving forward: “Do you let it organically grow,” or “do you start to cash in your chips?”
The Raptors own all of their future first-round draft picks and sit under the NBA’s luxury tax, which provides flexibility in the future for potential moves – big or small.
As for making a large swing through trading draft equity and other pieces if the opportunity presents itself?
“We’re always going to be opportunistic in any trade market, it’s the reason why we have kept all of our first-round picks, it’s to be able to have that,” Webster said.
“Financially, we’re well-positioned in the future to take on money if we have to. But it gets back to what the profile of this team is; if you want to double down on defence or if you think the offence needs help,” he added.
“It’d have to materially move us ahead from a contender standpoint.”