The Raptors may have stumbled into the perfect setup for Collin Murray-Boyles.
Toronto loved what it got from the rookie in 2025-26. The former No. 9 pick arrived as an immediate difference-maker, giving the team a versatile defender, rebounder, and screener right away. And as the season went on, he started showing more of the offensive upside that made people believe he could become more than just a glue guy.
That’s what made the Brandon Ingram trade chatter so interesting. Some fans figured it would mean a step back and a push to elevate CMB into the starting five. Instead, the Raptors went the other direction and made the big swing, bringing in Kawhi Leonard - the same player who led the franchise to its only NBA title in 2019.
On the surface, that could look like a roadblock for Murray-Boyles, especially at his natural spot at power forward. But in a lot of ways, Leonard’s return may be exactly what he needs. Toronto no longer has to ask as much of CMB on the defensive end, and that changes the shape of his development.
By the end of the postseason, the hierarchy was pretty clear: Scottie Barnes was Toronto’s top defender, and Murray-Boyles was right behind him. What he did as a 6-foot-7 forward against Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen was seriously impressive. He battled on the defensive glass, held his ground in the post, and rotated big to big to keep Cleveland from getting easy looks.
In that seven-game series, CMB put up 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.4 stocks per game while shooting 65.6 percent from the field.
Without Leonard, Murray-Boyles would probably be locked into that same heavy-duty role. And while that wouldn’t be a bad thing, it could slow down the offensive growth the Raptors need to see.
Now he has more room to breathe. Even if you believe Murray-Boyles belongs near the top of Toronto’s defensive pecking order, Leonard sitting behind him takes pressure off his shoulders and gives him a cleaner path to becoming a scorer, a playmaking hub, and a floor spacer.
No one should expect him to jump straight into the 20-point club, or even suddenly become a 15-point-per-game scorer in year three. But he should have more energy to knock down open threes, attack weaker defenders off the dribble, and keep building on the offensive flashes he showed in college and last season.
At South Carolina, Murray-Boyles was never really asked to be anything other than a defensive anchor. That may help explain why the offensive breakout never came in a big way there. With Leonard now in the mix, Toronto has created a much better runway for him to take that first real step toward becoming a problem on that end.
In Other News...
Raptors Face A Costly Kawhi Gamble After NBA Punishment
The NBA handed down its harshest possible penalties in the Clippers salary-cap circumvention case, putting a long-brewing Kawhi Leonard controversy back in the spotlight. For Raptors fans, it is another reminder of how much the league has tried to police the gray area around Leonards off-court earning power and the incentives that followed him to Los Angeles after his championship run in Toronto.
What makes the punishment sting even more is how broad it reached beyond the player himself. Leonard was fined for the violations tied to those off-court income opportunities and for not reimbursing the Clippers for personal expenses, while the fallout also swept up the people around him, including a five-year league ban for Dennis Robertson and a one-year suspension for Steve Ballmer. It is the kind of ruling that closes one chapter only to leave the bigger question hanging over how this all happened in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Suddenly Have Real Leverage In The Kawhi Leonard Trade
Brian Windhorst floated an interesting wrinkle on the Hoop Collective podcast: Toronto may not be locked into simply taking the original Kawhi Leonard trade framework as it stands. With the Clippers now dealing with the fallout from the salary cap circumvention scandal, the Raptors could have a chance to revisit a deal that once looked straightforward, even though no fresh demand from Toronto has been reported.
The leverage point, at least in Windhorsts view, is the draft compensation attached to the swap. The previously reported package sent Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, a 2027 first-round swap and two second-round picks to Los Angeles, and Toronto may suddenly have more room to push back on that kind of outlay if the Clippers are in a weakened spot. [Read more 🡒]
Danny Green Just Put A Raptors Champion In Rare Company
Danny Greens post-playing life is already giving Raptors fans a reason to smile. Since retiring after a 15-year NBA career, the former Toronto wing has moved into sports broadcasting, and in a recent interview with Spectrum SportsNet he was asked to name the best teammates he ever had. The list was loaded with Hall of Fame weight, but it also included a familiar Toronto face from the 2019 championship run, a reminder of how deeply that title team still resonates with the veterans who helped deliver it.
What stands out for Raptors fans is how naturally Green spoke about his connection with OG Anunoby, one of the most important two-way pieces on that title roster. Green said the two remain in touch, which says plenty about the bond formed during that championship season and about the company Anunoby now finds himself in when a veteran like Green reflects on a 15-year career. For a player who shared locker rooms with LeBron James and Tim Duncan, that kind of recognition carries real weight. [Read more 🡒]