The Toronto Raptors are still a long shot to end up with the Larry O'Brien Trophy in June, but they enter the 2027 NBA season with something plenty of teams can’t claim: a real path.
Toronto was one of nine teams still alive for a championship when it was knocked out by the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the first round back in May, and that alone puts the Raptors in a pretty exclusive class. They didn’t get where they wanted to go, but they were close enough to keep themselves in the conversation for next year.
The biggest reason to take Toronto seriously starts on the defensive end. Since 1981, 28 of the 46 champions have finished with a defensive rating in the top five of the league.
Last season, the Raptors checked in fifth in the NBA at 113.25, trailing only the Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, and Oklahoma City Thunder. Every one of those four teams finished in the top two of their conference, which is the kind of company Toronto wants to keep.
That defensive foundation matters even more because the Raptors should have another summer with the same core intact. In a crowded Eastern Conference, that kind of continuity can make a real difference. Toronto has a blend of youth and experience that should keep it in the thick of the race as the season unfolds.
There’s also the matter of versatility, and Toronto has plenty of it. The roster is built with players who can slide into different roles and cover multiple positions, which gives the Raptors flexibility against all kinds of opponents.
They can go small. They can play with four guards.
They can change shape from one night to the next depending on what the matchup demands.
Collin Murray-Boyles and Alan Graves fit that mold, and so do Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Ja'Kobe Walter, among others. If Toronto stays healthy, that ability to mix and match could be one of the team’s biggest strengths.
In Other News...
Kawhi's Toronto Reunion Is Still Stuck For One Serious Reason
Kawhi Leonards path back to Toronto got a lot less complicated once the NBA decided not to suspend him after its investigation into the Clippers contract-related conduct. For a Raptors team that still carries the imprint of Leonards brief but unforgettable run, that ruling removed a major obstacle from any reunion and turned the conversation back to basketball and whatever form a deal might take.
Still, the trade remains unfinished, and the silence from both sides has only deepened the uncertainty around it. Toronto has not publicly confirmed anything, and there is no sign of a formal renegotiation, even as the Clippers sort through the fallout from the leagues punishment and potential legal options. For now, the idea of Leonard back in Raptors colors is alive, but the hold-up is serious enough to keep the whole thing in limbo. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Put Themselves In A Risky Spot With RJ Barrett
The Raptors offseason has been moving at a crawl, slowed by the NBAs investigation into Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers and by the expectation that Leonards long-discussed trade situation will soon finally be resolved. In the meantime, Toronto has a few different contract matters to sort through, including decisions involving Leonard and Jamal Shead as the club starts looking ahead to the next season.
RJ Barrett is the most notable one still hanging in the balance. Toronto has not yet settled on whether to extend him, and with his future still unclear, the front office is left trying to weigh timing as much as talent. The longer the process drags on, the more the Raptors risk entering the season with another major piece of their rotation carrying a cloud of uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]