The Raptors may be heading into next season with real momentum, but the roster still has some obvious pressure points. Kawhi Leonard is back and locked in for the future, and Toronto has plenty riding on the continued development of Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead, and the rest of the young group.
Even with that kind of talent in place, the picture isn’t clean. There are still real questions about Immanuel Quickley, the guard rotation, RJ Barrett’s role going forward, and where consistent three-point shooting is going to come from. Jamison Battle could be in line for a breakout, but Toronto also has to deal with bigger issues at the center spot and on the glass.
That’s where Jakob Poeltl keeps coming back into the conversation. The Raptors have floated ways to get out from under his contract, and while that kind of move isn’t simple, it also isn’t out of reach. Memphis has emerged as a team that could help Toronto solve that problem.
The Grizzlies have already blown up much of their recent core, moving on from Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane over the past two seasons. With recent draftee Cam Boozer expected to lead the next phase, Memphis is in a very different place now. And after the moves that followed the departure of Triple J, the Grizzlies opened up a huge traded player exception, which gives them the ability to absorb a big salary without sending back matching money.
Toronto has been linked to Memphis in a Poeltl deal before, back when Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was still on the books there. That possibility changed once the Grizzlies bought him out and he signed with the 76ers. Even so, Memphis could still step in and take on Poeltl’s salary if the Raptors were willing to attach first-round pick compensation.
As Yossi Gozlan of the Third Apron Podcast recently noted, teams around the league are increasingly looking for more than just a contract dump when bad money changes hands. A useful player can make the whole package more appealing, and Memphis has a few names that would fit that idea.
Ty Jerome is one of them. He’s been injured for much of his time with the Grizzlies, but he still brings combo-guard value, playmaking, and enough shooting to matter for a Toronto team that could use help in both of those areas.
Scotty Pippen Jr. is another option, and he fits the mold of the small, scrappy guard who can bring defensive energy. Isaiah Stewart is the biggest swing of the group, but he also looks like the kind of rugged, physical big Toronto would welcome - especially with Poeltl trending the wrong way and Collins Murray-Boyles in the mix.
Toronto is likely to spend the early part of the season figuring out how this group fits together. But as the year goes on, the Raptors should be looking for smaller moves that can strengthen the rotation without blowing up the bigger picture. Jerome, Pippen Jr., or Stewart could make a Poeltl deal a lot easier to justify, especially if the cost is a first-round pick or pick swaps attached to the contract.
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Raptors Bench Battle Could Decide More Than Just Final Rotation Spots
The Raptors rotation picture already has some clear pillars, with Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes at the center and a group that includes Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl still working to establish how they fit around them. The real intrigue, though, is coming from the back half of the roster, where Toronto has several younger names and depth pieces competing for a role before the season even settles in.
JaKobe Walter, Collin Murray-Boyles, Jamal Shead, Jamison Battle, Allen Graves and Kyle Anderson are all in the mix for bench minutes, and the fight is about more than just filling out a game-night card. For a team trying to sort out its identity and maximize the edges of the roster, every practice and preseason run carries extra weight, even for players who may end up taking very different paths before they get there. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhis Return Brings Back The Raptors Biggest Playoff Fear
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The optimism comes with the same old concern: whether Leonard can stay healthy long enough to carry a team through the grind that matters most in spring. Analysts have already started questioning his postseason durability, even as he talks about helping Toronto become a championship contender again, and the Raptors know the difference between a star who lifts them in the regular season and one who can get them where they want to go. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhi Reunion Could Mean More For Raptors Than A Short Title Push
Kawhi Leonards new two-year, $115 million extension gives Toronto more than just another splashy headline. It gives the Raptors a real runway, with a three-year window to chase a title while keeping Leonard in the fold alongside Scottie Barnes as the organization continues to sort through its roster and figure out the right mix around its core.
The larger significance is what this deal says about Torontos timeline. A player option in the second year gives Leonard flexibility, but it also keeps the partnership alive at least for now, and the Raptors have reason to think bigger than a short push if the fit keeps working. For a team still evaluating how to build a contender around Barnes and Leonard, the next few seasons could tell them whether this is a brief reunion or the start of something longer. [Read more 🡒]