Kawhi Leonard didn’t need long to spot what makes this Raptors group different.
After Toronto rolled past the shorthanded New York Knicks 148-98 in preseason action Tuesday night, Leonard pointed directly to the versatility Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles bring to the table. That kind of lineup flexibility, he said, is a big reason the Raptors can cause problems on both ends.
“Scottie and CMB, they’re very talented. They could play small-ball five, the four, the one.
Kawhi Leonard shows a ton of praise for Scottie Barnes’ and Collin Murray-Boyles’ versatility:
— Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) October 14, 2026
“Scottie and CMB, they’re very talented. They could play small-ball 5, the 4, the 1.”
“When you got guys like that, it makes it look easy. They make the game easier for myself and… https://t.co/cHFxcbzfDB pic.twitter.com/PPxAE9F1Xm
When you got guys like that, it makes it look easy. They make the game easier for myself and others,” Leonard said, via Omer Osman, founder of Raptors Updates on X.
That fit matters for a Toronto team that now looks built to change shape depending on the matchup. Murray-Boyles can slide into the five when the Raptors want to go smaller and switch more. If they need size, Jakob Poeltl gives them a different answer.
Leonard’s arrival has changed the conversation in Toronto. The Raptors now have a legitimate No. 1 scoring option, and his defensive reputation lines up neatly with a roster already stocked with long, rangy stoppers. Barnes and Murray-Boyles only deepen that identity.
There was already evidence last season that Toronto could get it done on the defensive side. The Raptors finished with the fifth-best defensive rating in the league, giving up 112.1 points per 100 possessions. With this kind of personnel, they may be even more dangerous there this season.
Health is the swing factor. Leonard appeared in 65 games last season, but durability will always follow him. Murray-Boyles was limited to 57 games, and Poeltl played in only 46.
If that part breaks right, Toronto has a chance to push well past expectations. A 50-win season or better would not be a surprise.
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Rollins stands out as the most intriguing of the bunch after his breakout season in Milwaukee, though prying him away would almost certainly require a hefty package. Dunn, on an expiring deal, offers a different kind of value as a movable guard piece, while Bitadze and Jerome bring frontcourt and shot-creation appeal at separate price points, leaving Toronto to weigh whether any of those paths are worth the cost of doing business. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Jersey News Has Fans Thinking About A Classic Look Again
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The timing is still a ways off, with the team reportedly sending notice to stop production of the current jersey by the end of 2026. For now, there has been no official announcement or rendering from the Raptors, which leaves plenty of room for speculation while also keeping the door open for a classic color combo to return to the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhi Leonard's Raptors Debut Suddenly Feels Real
Kawhi Leonards return to game action is starting to look real for the Raptors, after he fully participated in Mondays practice and moved closer to making his preseason debut at home against the Knicks. For a team that has spent camp easing him along, the sight of Leonard handling a normal workload is an encouraging sign that the ramp-up process is finally nearing a competitive stage.
Toronto has built plenty of its early planning around how Leonard fits with a roster that also includes Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl, so every step in his recovery carries extra weight. He has been working back from a very light offseason amid the NBA investigation and trade discussions, and the next checkpoint should give the Raptors a better sense of how soon their new-look group can start taking shape in real game action. [Read more 🡒]