The Raptors’ offseason picture still has one major piece floating in the air: Kawhi Leonard’s trade has not been processed yet, thanks to the Los Angeles Clippers’ front office changes that still need to be sorted out. That delay has kept Toronto in limbo, even as Leonard is expected to carry on as usual and seems to fully believe he’ll be in Raptors camp when training camp opens.
Even without the deal being official, outside depth charts have already started reflecting Leonard as part of the roster. The expectation is that the trade will eventually get done, likely sometime in the coming weeks, but the wait has made it tougher for Toronto’s front office to map out the rest of the roster with any real certainty.
What does seem clearer is how the Raptors could look once Leonard is actually in the building. His arrival would go a long way toward settling the starting five, and the real competition shifts to the bench and those middle rotation minutes.
Toronto’s biggest offseason addition so far is veteran forward Kyle Anderson, a move that adds another layer of depth at forward and brings some leadership to a young group. Beyond that, and aside from the eventual subtraction of Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick, the roster has not seen major upheaval.
The second unit already has a few spots that feel fairly defined. Jamal Shead appears set as the backup point guard, while Ja’Kobe Walter gives Toronto another backcourt option off the bench. The more interesting battles are on the wing and in the forward spots, where the Raptors will sort out the rest of their rotation.
Battle, in particular, looks like a player who needs to lock in his place. He has made noticeable progress over the last two seasons as a shooter from deep, and heading into his third year, Coach Darko could lean on him for spacing and three-point volume off the bench.
Leonard’s presence changes the defensive math, too. With a proven stopper like Kawhi in the fold, Toronto won’t need every reserve to function as a lockdown defender.
Last season, Collin Murray-Boyles had to slide in defensively to make up for Brandon Ingram’s shortcomings. This time around, Battle’s shot-making could become the more important part of his value in the second unit.
Allen Graves is another name to watch, and he’s being positioned as the Sandro Mamukelashvili replacement. He’ll start his NBA career coming off the bench while he gets used to the Raptors’ system, but his skill set gives Toronto something different. Graves can handle the ball, create for teammates, and that kind of playmaking could help him earn more minutes.
Defense will also matter for Graves. That’s what should make him usable in a variety of lineups for Rajakovic.
Without Leonard, the Raptors would have needed more of a defensive spark off the bench from Brandon Ingram. With Kawhi, Graves can settle into more of a complementary role while still bringing some facilitation.
Even so, he could be eased in gradually, especially if Toronto decides another player deserves more floor time early in the season.
Anderson’s fit becomes even more interesting when you look back at his time with Leonard in San Antonio from 2014-2018. ‘Slo Mo’ benefited from the minutes that opened up when Kawhi was injured, especially in the 2017-2018 season, when he started 67 games. That shared history is part of why Toronto extended an offer sheet to him, and it also points to a clear role: Anderson should see expanded minutes whenever Leonard is out for rest or injury.
In Other News...
Collin Murray-Boyles Could Unlock A Much Scarier Raptors Ceiling
Collin Murray-Boyles finished his first season in Toronto with the kind of baseline that makes a front office dream a little bigger. He played 57 games, averaged 8.5 points, shot 57.9 percent from the field and earned All-Rookie Second Team honors, all while looking more comfortable as the year went on. By the time the playoffs arrived, his role had expanded and his production followed, a promising sign for a Raptors team still trying to map out how high his game can climb.
For Toronto, the real intrigue now is less about what Murray-Boyles already showed and more about what he can add next. His touch around the basket and ability to handle a larger workload give the Raptors a foundation worth building on, but his sophomore season will be shaped by whether the perimeter part of his game can take a real step forward. If that comes along, his fit could get a lot more dangerous, and so could Torontos ceiling. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Face A Jakob Poeltl Decision That Could Shape Their Next Move
The Raptors could have a tricky roster and cap question on their hands as the front office weighs the value of Jakob Poeltl against the flexibility his contract might create. With Toronto expected to add Kawhi Leonard in a separate move, the possibility of reshaping the supporting cast around him has already put attention on whether the team wants to keep paying for a veteran center whose deal is tough to move.
One possibility making the rounds would send Poeltl elsewhere in a salary-clearing deal, with Toronto potentially sweetening the return to make the math work. For a Raptors team trying to balance talent, draft assets and room to maneuver, the appeal is obvious, but so is the cost of giving up more future capital just to get out from under a contract. [Read more 🡒]