Kawhi Leonard is back in Toronto, and that alone has changed the mood around the Raptors. But even with the buzz of his return, the biggest question hanging over this team still isn’t about the wing. It’s about the middle.
Toronto’s center situation remains the clearest concern on the roster, with Jakob Poeltl sitting at the center of the discussion. He’s a useful player and would be a strong backup, but the source of the issue is simple: he does not look like the ideal answer to anchor the five as a starter. That has been true for a while, and it’s part of why the Raptors have been linked so often to Domantas Sabonis.
That kind of move, though, was already unlikely before Leonard came back. Now it’s basically off the table, and the Raptors may be better off that way.
The bigger point is that Toronto may not need to go shopping at all. The solution could already be in the building.
This roster has more size than it gets credit for, and there are multiple bigs who can help cover the position in different ways. That gives Toronto some flexibility around Poeltl if the fit isn’t perfect. It also opens the door for Collin Murray-Boyles, who has a real case as a small-ball center and, according to the source, legitimate upside there.
That’s why the Raptors may be better served by seeing what this group looks like before making any big moves. Leonard’s return has reshuffled the conversation, and Toronto now has a chance to find out whether a center rotation built from the players already on hand can be enough.
And that matters because the rest of the roster is starting to look promising. Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, Jamal Shead, Collin Murray-Boyles, and others have helped form something that feels real.
With Leonard healthy, he could be the final piece. The center spot may not need a blockbuster fix to follow suit.
In Other News...
RJ Barrett Could Decide The Raptors Next Big Roster Move
RJ Barrett has become one of the more interesting names to watch around the Raptors as the trade deadline approaches, not because Toronto is saying anything publicly, but because his place on the roster could shape the front offices next move. The idea gaining traction is simple enough: if the Raptors decide to pivot, Barrett is the kind of player who could headline a bigger deal, and the search would then turn toward a wing who better fits the direction they want to take.
Trey Murphy III has emerged as the kind of target that makes sense in that conversation, with his size, shooting, and versatility giving Toronto a clear type to chase. Any framework discussed around him would require Barrett, plus additional picks and other assets, which is why the conversation feels more like roster calculus than a finished deal. For the Raptors, the real question is whether they see Barrett as part of the next build or the key that unlocks it. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Enter Camp With One Huge Kawhi Question Looming
Kawhi Leonards arrival gives Toronto the kind of ceiling few teams can match, and it also puts the Raptors into the kind of camp conversation contenders usually prefer to avoid. The trade from the Clippers changes the look of the roster immediately, but it does not change the fact that Scottie Barnes is still the player this group is built around, with the Raptors now trying to fit a former Finals MVP into a hierarchy that already had a clear centerpiece.
There is also the smaller, but important, question of how second-year forward Collin Murray-Boyles fits into the picture as the rotation starts to sort itself out. Toronto is expected to be aiming at a championship window in 2026-27, but the front office may not be done shaping the roster, and any further upgrade could end up waiting until much closer to the trade deadline. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhis Return Brings Back The Raptors Biggest Playoff Fear
Kawhi Leonards return has given Toronto a familiar kind of buzz, the sort that comes with a star who already knows the market, the franchise and the weight of expectations here. The Raptors didnt bring him back just for nostalgia, either. Leonard has signed a contract extension, and the appeal is obvious: a former Finals centerpiece who can still change the feel of a season when he is on the floor.
The concern, as always, is whether the good feelings can last long enough to matter in the spring. Around the league, some analysts are already questioning Leonards postseason durability, which is exactly the kind of conversation Raptors fans have heard before. Toronto is chasing a real shot at becoming a championship contender again, and Leonards presence makes that dream look less far-fetched. The problem is that the same question shadowing this reunion has yet to go away. [Read more 🡒]