The Toronto Raptors are edging toward training camp with the Kawhi Leonard situation still clouded by mixed reports, and that uncertainty could force them into a different direction. If the Leonard move falls apart, Toronto may still look to move Brandon Ingram to avoid the awkward fit of bringing BI back into the fold - and Michael Porter Jr. stands out as the cleaner pivot.
Porter Jr. isn’t Leonard, and nobody is pretending otherwise. But the offseason has reached a point where a star of Leonard’s level doesn’t appear to be out there, and Jake Fischer has reported that he does not expect a contract extension for MPJ in Brooklyn, which could put him in play.
The appeal starts with the production. Porter Jr. is coming off a career season in which he probably should have been an All-Star over Ingram in the Eastern Conference.
He averaged 24.2 points and 7.1 rebounds, and he knocked down 36.3 percent of his threes on 9.3 attempts per game. For a Raptors team that finished 26th in three-pointers made per game in 2025-26, that kind of shooting would be a major fix.
Toronto’s spacing issues showed up repeatedly, and it was one of the reasons the team got shot out of several games. Porter Jr. would give the Raptors a floor spacer they’ve never really had in the Scottie Barnes era.
And that’s where the fit gets even more interesting. If the Leonard trade collapses, Barnes becomes the clear 1A, no debate about it.
The question around him has always been whether he can be the offensive alpha - the guy who closes games, carries the scoring load, and makes the big plays when everything tightens up. His defense has never been the issue.
No matter where he’s plugged in on that end, he finds a way to thrive.
The better way to maximize a forward like Barnes is with shooting around him. That’s the idea behind Porter Jr. as the fallback.
The source material points to LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo as examples of powerful downhill forwards who found their best success when surrounded by elite shooters. Porter Jr. fits that mold as a high-level spacer, but he also showed in Brooklyn that he can carry No. 2-caliber scoring responsibility.
There’s also a practical side to the move that should appeal to Toronto. A Porter Jr. deal would not require a long-term commitment.
The Raptors could trade for him without immediately locking themselves into a new extension, and moving Ingram for him would cut two years of more than $40 million per season off the books. The Nets would likely only take an MPJ-for-BI swap if draft capital was attached, but that price would be worth paying for the financial flexibility it would create.
There isn’t a perfect answer if Leonard slips away. But if Toronto has to pivot, Michael Porter Jr. looks like the option that brings the most to the table.
In Other News...
Raptors Still Have One Frontcourt Battle That Could Matter A Lot
The Raptors still have one frontcourt question worth watching as training camp approaches: who steps in behind Jakob Poeltl when the second unit needs a real center. Toronto has a handful of options in the mix, including Trayce Jackson-Davis, acquired in a trade and intriguing in limited minutes, Malik Jemison on a two-way deal with championship experience, veteran Chris Boucher Anderson with his usual versatility, rookie Gradey Graves, and Christian Murray-Boyles, who has already spent time in that role.
For a team trying to settle its rotation before the season begins, this is more than a housekeeping item. Backup center minutes can shape how the Raptors manage lineups, protect Poeltl over the long haul and keep the frontcourt balanced when injuries or foul trouble hit, and the club is still sorting through which direction it wants to lean. The competition is open enough that camp could end up carrying real weight for more than one player. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Fans Already Have One Early Date To Circle For Kawhi
The 2026-27 regular season schedule already gives Raptors fans one date to mark down, with the Clippers set to visit Toronto on Nov. 2. Any meeting with Los Angeles carries extra edge because of Kawhi Leonards place in franchise history, and this one arrives with the kind of built-in intrigue the league likes to pretend it can schedule away. Even before the ball goes up, the backdrop is already bigger than a normal early-November game.
Leonards path back into a Raptors-focused conversation still runs through the league office, with the trade from the Clippers under review and the timing of a resolution still not fully clear. The expectation is that the matter will be settled before next season begins, but there remains a chance it stretches into the year, which would leave Leonards status hanging over the calendar and make that first Clippers date in Toronto feel even heavier. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Primetime Schedule Comes With One Credibility Test Fans Will Debate
The Raptors upcoming national-TV slate gives fans a decent early read on where the league sees Toronto fitting into the conversation, with seven games on the primetime schedule and a mix of opponents that should tell their own stories. Miami, Atlanta, Minnesota, Boston and Philadelphia all bring different kinds of intrigue, whether it is style, star power or the kind of roster turnover that makes an October matchup feel a little less predictable than usual.
One of the more debated entries is also the one that could matter most to the bigger picture, because the leagues scheduling choices are rarely just about last seasons record. Torontos place on that stage invites the kind of scrutiny that comes with a possible major roster move hanging over the team, and it is why this slate feels like more than just a list of broadcast dates. It is a credibility test, and one that fans will argue over long before the games actually tip off. [Read more 🡒]