The Toronto Raptors are heading into training camp in Quebec City with championship expectations, but plenty still needs sorting out before the season gets rolling. The big addition is Kawhi Leonard, and his arrival changes the picture in a major way. What Toronto does with him, Scottie Barnes, and the rest of the roster will shape how far this team can go.
One of the most interesting questions is how Leonard and Barnes will fit together in the frontcourt. Toronto is building around Leonard after landing him in a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, and the hope is that his presence can ease some of Barnes’s load.
Leonard is expected to handle some of the playmaking duties, which would free Barnes to concentrate more on defense. There’s also a belief inside the setup that the two can mesh well in Toronto’s system, in the same way Brandon Ingram did with Barnes last season.
The difference, of course, is that Leonard gives the Raptors an offensive boost they did not have with Ingram, and that is exactly the kind of upgrade Toronto is banking on as it tries to move up another level.
Another major lineup decision involves Collin Murray-Boyles. The second-year forward looked terrific in the team’s playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, even while coming off the bench.
That role could easily carry over, though head coach Darko Rajakovic may still decide to start him at different points during the season. Murray-Boyles brings flexibility because he can line up at several spots, including centre, where Jakob Poeltl is currently the starter.
Poeltl is expected to keep that job for now since he is the tallest player on the roster and already in place, but there could be nights when Murray-Boyles gives Toronto a better option in the opening five.
If the Raptors are serious about going from a No. 5 seed and a first-round exit to an NBA title, Leonard alone won’t be enough. The supporting cast has to keep moving forward, and that means real development from the young players.
A major leap is needed from at least one of them, with Jamal Shead and Ja'Kobe Walter standing out as the most obvious candidates because both are entering their third NBA season. Toronto could also lean on Murray-Boyles or even rookie forward Allen Graves, the 19th overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft.
If those players progress the way the Raptors need them to, the team should be in strong shape when the season begins.
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The part that will matter most to Toronto observers is the way Dallas keeps drawing from familiar circles as it builds out that staff. Engelbrechts arrival adds another layer to a reshaped decision-making group, and the same goes for the front office hires surrounding him, including Matt Redfield in a key basketball operations post. For a Mavericks team trying to sharpen every edge, these are not cosmetic moves, and they suggest a more deliberate power structure taking hold in Dallas. [Read more 🡒]
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Brian Windhorst noted that Leonard remains a high-level player, but the lingering concern around his health continues to shape how the league views him. For the Raptors, the calculation is simple enough: if Leonard can keep delivering at that level, he changes the look of the team, but his availability remains the part no one around the franchise can ignore. [Read more 🡒]