RJ Barrett is ready to take key step forward in much needed area

Toronto Raptors v Philadelphia 76ers | Mitchell Leff/GettyImagesThe "Maple Mamba" lives to see another day ... or at least, that's what it seems like with all the smoke cleared for now.

I could understand the motivations behind wanting to move RJ Barrett, but as a proud Torontonian myself, it would definitely sting to see the hometown kid get shown his walking papers just like that. Barrett is far from a refined, polished player, but this past season, he had his best statistical year to date and served as a very important piece within the Raptors' structure.

However, I truly couldn't tell if Barrett's best foot forward was only gaining traction within the close-knit Raptors community or if…