Kawhi Leonard gives Toronto the headline-grabbing star power, but the Raptors’ season may end up being shaped just as much by the growth of three young players who are already pushing into real rotation roles.
Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles are all expected to matter this season, and each one arrives with a different question attached. They helped the Raptors down the stretch last year, but all three still have room to climb.
Walter’s job is the clearest one: keep the shot falling. He spent the start of last season trying to carve out a steady role, then took off after the All-Star break.
He shot 35.0% from three in the first half, then jumped to 47.6% after the break and gave Toronto the kind of perimeter spacing the offense needed. That level is hard to sustain over a full season, but he does not have to stay that hot to matter.
If he can pair his perimeter defense with dependable shooting, he becomes a tough piece to deal with.
Shead brings a different kind of value. He had one of the league’s best assist-to-turnover ratios last season, hounds opponents on defense and, even in just his second season, emerged as one of the team’s leaders.
The problem is the scoring efficiency. He is a career 38.6% shooter from the field and 32.2% from three, numbers that leave too much room for defenses to breathe.
He does not need to turn into a big scorer, but he does need to become someone opponents have to account for. The encouraging part for Toronto is that Shead has a strong work ethic and has made improving that area a priority.
Then there is Murray-Boyles, who may be Toronto’s most intriguing wild card. The Raptors front office has made no secret of how much it likes him, and he showed off his special athleticism almost every night as a rookie.
That athleticism gives him a chance to become an elite defender and keeps easy points within reach. What he did not show consistently was the ability to create his own offense.
Still, how many 20-year-olds can do that at the NBA level?
He does not need to become a classic shot creator to level up. If he can create space from the high post and hit a 10-foot jumper, or if he develops a reliable catch-and-shoot three, defenses will have to treat him differently.
That matters because Leonard is expected to be phenomenal when he plays, but the Raptors already know they will have to manage without him at times. Over the last four seasons, he has missed an average of 26.5 games per year. Toronto has to survive those stretches somehow, and the young core may be the answer.
If Walter becomes a dependable shooter, Shead sharpens his efficiency and Murray-Boyles adds another layer to his offense, the Raptors will be in a much better spot to handle the games Leonard misses and ease the load when he is on the floor. Leonard may be the player who gives Toronto a shot at the top of the Eastern Conference, but the growth of the players around him will decide how far this team can actually go.
In Other News...
Raptors' Defense Just Got Exposed By Miami's New-Look Rotation
The Raptors opened preseason against a Miami group that already looked comfortable experimenting with a deeper rotation, and the result was a lopsided 129-105 loss that raised some immediate questions about Torontos defensive readiness. Miami got useful minutes from Tim Hardaway Jr., Nikola Jovic, Bobby Portis and Nick Richards, while the game also offered an early glimpse at how the new-look roster can spread the floor and keep pressure on an opponent for long stretches.
For Toronto, the bigger concern was less the final score than how often Miami found clean looks and easy advantages as the game wore on. The Heats depth and second-unit ball-handling stood out, and the matchup served as a reminder that preseason is about more than just lineups and minutes, it is about figuring out which combinations can handle pace, contact and the kind of offensive variety Toronto will keep seeing as the schedule gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
RJ Barrett Faces A Tough New Raptors Reality After Kawhi Trade
RJ Barretts place in Toronto just got a lot more complicated after the Raptors landed Kawhi Leonard, a move that reshapes the offense and changes who gets to drive the scoring load. Barrett has been one of the clubs more reliable creators, but the arrival of Leonard means his touches will likely shrink as Toronto leans more heavily on Leonard and Scottie Barnes to carry the attack.
For Barrett, the adjustment is not only about role, but about timing. He is heading into the final year of his deal, so this season now carries extra weight as the Raptors decide how he fits in a new hierarchy and whether he remains part of the long-term picture. The coming months will show whether he can thrive in a lower-usage spot or if the trade has pushed the situation toward an even bigger crossroads. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhi Leonard Could Change Everything For Scottie Barnes And The Raptors
The Raptors latest thinking around Kawhi Leonard is less about nostalgia and more about fit. Toronto brought him back on a two-year, $115 million extension, and the early sense around the move is that Leonard is stepping into a structure designed to lift Scottie Barnes, not crowd him out. For a team trying to sharpen its championship ceiling, that matters. Barnes has the talent to grow into a centerpiece, and Leonards arrival gives the roster a very different kind of veteran gravity.
What makes the situation so intriguing is the balance between upside and caution. Leonards history still hangs over any conversation about him, because availability has always been the question. But if he stays on the floor, the Raptors have a chance to see Barnes operate with more room around him and less pressure to carry every matchup at once. That is the kind of ripple effect that can change a young stars path, and possibly the direction of the entire team. [Read more 🡒]