A year ago, the Toronto Raptors were being measured against the Play-In Tournament. Now the conversation has moved well past that.
After finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference and watching several young players take real steps forward, the question entering the 2026-27 season is no longer whether Toronto can hang around the playoff race. It’s whether the bar has been raised faster than the team itself.
There’s no mystery about why the optimism has taken off. Toronto’s rotation has more offensive juice now, and the playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers gave fans a glimpse of what that can look like. Collin Murray-Boyles and Ja'Kobe Walter both emerged in that matchup, adding to the sense that the Raptors’ young core is starting to look like something more than a long-term project.
Scottie Barnes keeps moving toward two-way stardom, and RJ Barrett just turned in the best basketball of his career in the playoffs last season. Against Cleveland, Barrett averaged 24.1 points per game in the first-round series, up from 19.3 points per game during the regular season. That kind of jump naturally changes the way people talk about a team.
So the expectations have shifted too. A playoff berth is now the baseline. Some people are already looking higher, seeing Toronto as a team that could push toward the top of the East, especially if Kawhi Leonard ends up joining the roster.
Darko Rajaković made clear that the organization isn’t pretending the work is done. “I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, but our team knows there is still a lot of work to do, and I am looking forward to continuing to build and win with the Raptors. We will keep growing, keep working together and stay committed to getting better every day as we reach for our goal of an NBA championship,” he said via Sportsnet insider Michael Grange.
The challenge, though, is that Toronto isn’t climbing by itself. The New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, and Miami Heat are all headed into next season with playoff expectations of their own. There are other Eastern Conference teams lurking too, ready to make noise if things break right.
And Toronto is still leaning heavily on internal growth. With the Leonard trade still in limbo, the biggest offseason addition was Kyle Anderson. Otherwise, this looks a lot like last year’s group, with Anderson stepping in for Sandro Mamukelashvili, who signed with the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason.
That doesn’t mean the Raptors have to tamp down the excitement. If Barnes keeps developing and Leonard is in the picture, a healthy Toronto roster has a real path to compete with the East’s best.
But there are still real unknowns. Leonard remains the biggest one, and the Raptors also have to answer questions at centre while hoping for meaningful progress from the rookies and second-year players.
The good news is that none of this requires Toronto to become a title favorite overnight. If the Raptors keep building on last season’s progress and prove they belong in the playoff mix, then the rising expectations will be backed by something stronger than hope.
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It is the kind of opportunity that can look modest on paper but carry real weight for fringe prospects trying to turn one workout into a longer look. Jonathon Simmons is the reminder teams and players keep in mind, since he used a G League tryout as his launch point to the NBA, and that history is part of why these open dates around the league, including the one in Torontos system, still matter to a lot of players who are one good day away from being noticed. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Reunion Buzz Around Kawhi Comes With One Massive Catch
The chatter around a possible Kawhi Leonard reunion has put Toronto back in a familiar kind of spotlight, the sort that immediately makes fans remember how quickly the franchise can change when a true difference-maker is involved. Leonards potential impact on the Raptors is easy to see, which is why the buzz around his return has picked up so much attention around the team and beyond.
What makes the situation especially intriguing is that the framework already includes a steep price for Toronto to pay if it goes through. Jeremy Lin has voiced support for the move and is hoping the league signs off soon, but until then the Raptors are left waiting on a rare chance to bring back a player whose presence would reshape the roster in a major way. [Read more 🡒]
Andre Jackson Jr Brings One Big Question To The Raptors
Andre Jackson Jr. is getting a fresh look in Toronto after the Raptors added the former second-round pick on an Exhibit 10 contract. The defensive-minded wing spent three seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, and his calling card has long been his work on that end of the floor, where energy and versatility can still earn a player a real chance even if the offensive profile is thinner than teams usually prefer.
For the Raptors, the appeal is obvious enough: Jackson is the kind of low-cost, low-risk camp body who can compete for a spot and, if needed, keep developing with Raptors 905. The question hanging over the move is the same one that has followed him since Milwaukee - whether his defense can carry enough weight to offset the limitations on offense and give him a path onto a regular-season roster. [Read more 🡒]