The Raptors’ preseason opener did not go the way Toronto wanted. A 129-105 loss to the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Miami Heat in Quebec City gave the team an early look at some of its rough edges, but it also created a clear opening for Ja’Kobe Walter.
That chance matters because Walter already looks like an important piece of this roster. The bigger question is whether he can use these preseason reps to become even more central to what Toronto is building. With Kawhi Leonard unavailable, the spotlight gets brighter fast.
Leonard was scratched for a coach’s decision and is not expected to play next week when the Raptors head to Vancouver for more preseason action. Toronto was also missing Kyle Anderson, Jamison Battle, Allen Graves, Alijah Martin, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Andre Jackson Jr., Nate Bittle, and Trey Jemison III, leaving the lineup short on bodies.
That kind of absence opens the door for Walter. On October 3, he earned a start alongside Barnes, Quickley, Poeltl, and RJ, giving him a chance to show he can hold his own with the top group and build trust with the coaching staff. For Toronto, that’s the real value here: not just minutes, but evidence.
RJ Barrett has already lived in this lane. In the October 3 game against Miami, he led the Raptors with 15 points, doing most of his work at the free-throw line, while Tyreke Key matched him in scoring. Scottie Barnes and Chucky Hepubrn followed with 11 apiece.
Walter’s path is a little different. He is expected to stay part of the young Bench Mob heading into the 2026-27 season, but these preseason games give him a chance to push himself into a bigger role. If he keeps showing the defensive impact he wants to bring and the three-point shot he has been working on, it’s not hard to picture a lineup next season with IQ-Walter-Leonard-Barnes-CMB, with Barrett and Poeltl coming off the bench.
His first outing was solid, if not spotless. Walter went 3-for-8 from the field and 2-for-6 from three, finished with eight points and five rebounds, and logged a little more than 17 minutes. That put him right alongside Barrett and Poeltl in playing time, which tells you how much the staff wanted to see from him.
The next stretch will matter just as much. Toronto still has the Clippers coming up next week, followed by three more preseason games, and Walter has a real chance to make his case. The rotation is not locked in, and if Kawhi remains out, Barnes and Barrett will carry the offense - but Walter can still carve out a bigger role.
To do that, he’ll need more than volume. He has to make his shots count the way he did in the playoffs, and he has to keep bringing that pesky defense too.
In Other News...
Raptors' Defense Just Got Exposed By Miami's New-Look Rotation
The Raptors opened preseason against a Miami group that already looked comfortable experimenting with a deeper rotation, and the result was a lopsided 129-105 loss that raised some immediate questions about Torontos defensive readiness. Miami got useful minutes from Tim Hardaway Jr., Nikola Jovic, Bobby Portis and Nick Richards, while the game also offered an early glimpse at how the new-look roster can spread the floor and keep pressure on an opponent for long stretches.
For Toronto, the bigger concern was less the final score than how often Miami found clean looks and easy advantages as the game wore on. The Heats depth and second-unit ball-handling stood out, and the matchup served as a reminder that preseason is about more than just lineups and minutes, it is about figuring out which combinations can handle pace, contact and the kind of offensive variety Toronto will keep seeing as the schedule gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
RJ Barrett Faces A Tough New Raptors Reality After Kawhi Trade
RJ Barretts place in Toronto just got a lot more complicated after the Raptors landed Kawhi Leonard, a move that reshapes the offense and changes who gets to drive the scoring load. Barrett has been one of the clubs more reliable creators, but the arrival of Leonard means his touches will likely shrink as Toronto leans more heavily on Leonard and Scottie Barnes to carry the attack.
For Barrett, the adjustment is not only about role, but about timing. He is heading into the final year of his deal, so this season now carries extra weight as the Raptors decide how he fits in a new hierarchy and whether he remains part of the long-term picture. The coming months will show whether he can thrive in a lower-usage spot or if the trade has pushed the situation toward an even bigger crossroads. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhi Leonard Could Change Everything For Scottie Barnes And The Raptors
The Raptors latest thinking around Kawhi Leonard is less about nostalgia and more about fit. Toronto brought him back on a two-year, $115 million extension, and the early sense around the move is that Leonard is stepping into a structure designed to lift Scottie Barnes, not crowd him out. For a team trying to sharpen its championship ceiling, that matters. Barnes has the talent to grow into a centerpiece, and Leonards arrival gives the roster a very different kind of veteran gravity.
What makes the situation so intriguing is the balance between upside and caution. Leonards history still hangs over any conversation about him, because availability has always been the question. But if he stays on the floor, the Raptors have a chance to see Barnes operate with more room around him and less pressure to carry every matchup at once. That is the kind of ripple effect that can change a young stars path, and possibly the direction of the entire team. [Read more 🡒]