RJ Barrett Speaks on Bittersweet Feeling of Knicks Winning NBA Finals

RJ Barrett had mixed feelings watching the New York Knicks win the NBA championship. He was pleased for the people he still knows there, but the title followed a first-round exit for his Toronto Raptors.

“At first, definitely feel a little salty in terms of we lost, the Raptors lost in the first round, so that hurt,” Barrett said in an interview with CBC Sports. “But if anybody else were to win it, I’m happy they won it.”

Barrett said he called former teammates to congratulate them. His response reflected both sides of his connection to New York: He helped the Knicks climb back into the playoffs, then continued his career in Toronto before they completed their championship run.

The Knicks took Barrett with the No. 3 pick in the 2019 draft. He spent more than four seasons with the team before New York traded him to Toronto during the 2023-24 season in the deal that brought OG Anunoby to the Knicks.

Barrett was a major part of the group that helped New York become a playoff team again. The Knicks did not advance beyond the second round during his tenure, but his former teammates and the relationships he made there remain important to him.

“I still have friends over there,” Barrett said of the Knicks, adding that he had checked in with players after they won. He also said he was happy for them while hoping to bring some of that success to Toronto.

Anunoby’s place on the championship team adds another layer to the story. He arrived in New York in the trade that sent Barrett home to Toronto and became an important defender for the Knicks. Barrett can recognize his former team’s achievement while still wanting the Raptors to build something of their own.

The Raptors made the 2026 playoffs but lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games in the first round. New York went on to defeat the San Antonio Spurs for the title. That gap between the teams’ postseason finishes explains the disappointment Barrett described.

Toronto’s playoff appearance gave it a starting point for the coming season. Barrett’s comments suggest his attention is on what the Raptors can do next, rather than on revisiting the trade. He congratulated people he cares about in New York and made his own ambition clear.

That is a candid response from a former Knick. Barrett does not have to hide that Toronto’s loss hurt to be happy for his friends. He wants his current team to have the chance to celebrate next.