The Cavaliers may have spent the summer strengthening their own case in the East, but Toronto just made the path a little uglier. Kawhi Leonard is back in the mix, and that alone changes the shape of the conference for Cleveland.
Leonard put up a career-best 27.9 points per game last season, earned All-NBA second-team recognition and played in 65 games. Toronto landed him without giving up Scottie Barnes, which means the Raptors now have two big, versatile forwards who can impact both sides of the floor.
That kind of pairing is made for the playoffs. It does not, however, push Cleveland out of the contender picture. The Cavs still have Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, and the addition of Peyton Watson should help them with size and wing defense.
The usual caveat follows Leonard everywhere: health. Toronto also has to fit him into a new lineup and live up to the expectations that come with bringing him back.
So Cleveland’s margin for error just got thinner. The Finals route is still there, but the toll keeps going up.
In Utah, Brice Sensabaugh is trying to turn a small but promising clutch sample into something more meaningful. He hit 9 of 13 shots in clutch situations last season, a stretch Jared Koch of NBA on SI pointed to as a reason he should get more run.
The numbers are eye-catching, but they come from only 13 attempts. Sensabaugh made 69.2 percent of his clutch shots and 71.4 percent of his late-game threes across 16 appearances, which is nice to have in the bank, but not nearly enough on its own.
What carries more weight is the broader production. The 22-year-old averaged 14.9 points in 23 minutes last season while shooting 46 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from three. That’s the kind of output that deserves a real look.
The problem is opportunity. Utah’s wing group is crowded with Ace Bailey, Darryn Peterson, Josh Green and Josh Okogie, so Sensabaugh will have to fight for minutes.
Nobody questions the scoring. The bigger issue is whether he can hold up defensively well enough to stay on the court. That will likely decide his role, and maybe his value, before restricted free agency next summer.
In New Orleans, AJ Johnson is walking into camp with a chance to make last week’s trade look worthwhile. The Pelicans sent Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy and a second-round pick to Memphis for Johnson and Taj Gibson, then waived Gibson the next day.
That leaves Johnson as the piece still standing.
The 21-year-old is already on his fifth organization since Milwaukee picked him in the first round of the 2024 draft. Through 77 NBA games, he has averaged 4.9 points and 1.6 assists while shooting 24.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Those are rough numbers. But the Pelicans do have a possible fit here, because Johnson can handle the ball. New Orleans may need that behind Dejounte Murray and Jeremiah Fears, especially after Jordan Poole was asked to create too much offense last season and is generally better away from the ball.
Johnson brings speed and playmaking. He also brings a 160-pound frame, uneven finishing and shaky outside shooting, which is why the Pelicans still have every reason to keep looking.
Even so, the fact that he was not immediately waived suggests he’ll get a real chance in camp. Now he has to prove the trade returned more than a short stay from Taj Gibson.
In Other News...
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What makes the fit interesting is not just the role, but the support around it. Aaron Gordon, Watsons former teammate in Denver, has already backed him publicly, a small reminder that the Cavaliers are getting a player who left behind some real respect in the locker room. For Cleveland, the question now is how far that trust stretches, and whether Watson is simply another starter or someone the team believes can grow into something more. [Read more 🡒]
Donovan Mitchell Just Raised The Stakes For Evan Mobley
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Cavs Fans Will Love The Latest Delonte West Comeback Sign
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Now there is also a basketball-related twist attached to the comeback vibe. The NBA 2K franchise plans to include West as a playable character in NBA 2K27, with royalty payments beginning in March 2027, and he has recently shown he can still handle himself on the court by beating a YouTuber in a one-on-one game. It is not the same as a return to the league, but for Cavs fans, it is another reminder that Wests story is still being written. [Read more 🡒]