For the Raptors, the biggest swing factor in 2026-27 may still be whether the Kawhi Leonard trade actually gets approved. But if the league finally gives Toronto the green light, the next question is a more practical one: what kind of Jakob Poeltl shows up?
Poeltl’s game has trended the wrong way since he returned to Toronto, and that makes him one of the most important pieces in the picture. If he can take even a small lesson from Brook Lopez, the Raptors’ path gets a lot cleaner.
Lopez spent years as a problem for Toronto when he was with the Brooklyn Nets, then changed his entire approach after landing with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018-19. At their peaks, he and Poeltl were very different players.
Lopez was a major scoring threat and the all-time leading scorer in Nets history. Poeltl has always been more of a back-to-the-basket center with some passing touch.
No one is suggesting Poeltl suddenly turns into Lopez as a Bucks-era version of himself. That leap is unrealistic. The point is simpler than that: Lopez was willing to remake his role at 30 for a contender, and that kind of buy-in is exactly what Toronto needs from Poeltl.
When Lopez arrived in Milwaukee, he knew where he fit. With Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday around him, he just needed to be the fourth most important player on the floor. His job was straightforward: finish possessions, protect the rim, rebound, and knock down pick-and-pop threes.
Poeltl would actually be asked to do less than that in Toronto.
The Raptors’ projected starting five of Leonard, Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Jak at center already gives the offense more firepower than Lopez had when he got to Milwaukee. That means Toronto does not need Poeltl to stretch the floor or carry any real scoring burden. What it needs is the simpler version of him - the one who rebounds, protects the paint and does the dirty work that keeps a team steady.
Last season, Poeltl averaged 0.7 blocks and 7 rebounds in only 46 games, and that won’t be enough this time. A line around nine points, nine rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game would be plenty for Toronto. If he can finish the occasional play, secure defensive boards and serve as a dependable last line of defense at the rim or as a help defender behind Barnes or Leonard, that’s the kind of production the Raptors can live with.
The Lopez comparison is not a perfect one. It’s not supposed to be.
Lopez was a scorer before he became a role-defined center, while Poeltl has had stretches as something closer to an offensive hub. But the larger lesson is the same: Lopez extended his career and helped keep Milwaukee rolling by accepting a reduced role and becoming exactly what the Bucks needed at center.
That is the model Poeltl should be chasing in training camp and into next season. If he leans into rebounding, shot-blocking and finishing plays, Toronto’s title odds become a lot more serious.
In Other News...
Raptors Suddenly Have A Real Shot At A Veteran Wing Fit
The Raptors search for another sturdy wing defender just got a little more interesting. Phoenix waived Haywood Highsmith, opening the door for a player who has bounced through a few stops but has built a reputation as a tough, role-friendly piece on the perimeter. For a Toronto roster that has spent plenty of time looking for wings who can defend, move without the ball and fit into a larger rotation, that kind of profile is at least worth a long look.
Highsmiths path has been a winding one, and the health piece only adds another layer to the evaluation. He is coming off meniscus surgery and played only seven games for the Suns last season, so any team considering him has to balance the fit against the uncertainty. Still, for a club like Toronto, the appeal is obvious enough to keep the conversation alive as the market settles. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Could Have A Stunning Kawhi Path Without The Full Price
The Raptors pursuit of Kawhi Leonard has taken a strange turn, one that leaves Toronto waiting on the NBAs next move before the deal can officially go forward. The original agreement sent Leonard to the Clippers as part of a package that included Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, two second-round picks and a pick swap, but the trade is now on hold while the league reviews allegations tied to how Leonards contract was put together.
If the investigation ends with a finding of cap-circumvention wrongdoing, the entire picture could change for Toronto in a way few teams ever get to imagine. Instead of paying the full trade price, the Raptors could suddenly be positioned to chase Leonard in free agency, while commissioner Adam Silver has said the league hopes to wrap up the matter by the end of the summer. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors May Have One Kawhi Problem They Cant Fix Midseason
The Raptors path forward after the Kawhi Leonard trade is starting to look less like a clean upgrade and more like a cap-sheet puzzle they may have to live with all season. Toronto has built a roster with real top-end money tied up in key pieces, which gives the team some quality but little room to maneuver if it wants to sharpen the bench or find another rotation-level player before the deadline.
Jamal Shead and JaKobe Walter are among the salaries that could be moved if Toronto tried to create flexibility, but that kind of deal would come with its own awkward tradeoff. For a team trying to stay in the mix while Leonard remains part of the picture, the bigger issue is whether the front office can improve the roster without sacrificing the kind of depth it is trying to build in the first place. [Read more 🡒]