​With the NBA free agency period nearly complete, the Toronto Raptors stand among the league’s elite teams, even as the fate of LeBron James remains the lingering question mark. Having acquired seven-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard for a second time, Toronto is done content to merely avenge a first-round exit this past season at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Outside of Leonard, no other major moves have altered the roster in a dramatic way. The club let backup forward Sandro Mamukelashvili slip to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency and instead added veteran forward Kyle Anderson. General manager Bobby Webster also selected Santa Clara forward Allen Graves with the first-round pick, a move that broadens the Raptors’ depth but does not address the point guard or center slots.
Sandro Mamukelashvili, who spent time with the Raptors as a forward/center, left a clear impression on the league as Toronto continued to build a tough, defensive-minded squad. The Raptors had cultivated a young, feisty identity built on relentless defense, anchored by the isolation scoring of RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram. With Leonard stepping in for Ingram, Barrett expected to take another leap forward, and Scottie Barnes continuing his ascent on both ends of the floor, this team appeared positioned to contend sooner rather than later.
This outlook is echoed by several prognosticators, including Bleacher Report’s latest power rankings. Following a splashy first wave of free agency, Toronto is slotted ninth in the NBA and fifth in the Eastern Conference. They trail the Milwaukee-led Heat, the Boston Celtics still retooling without Jaylen Brown, the Detroit Pistons who hold the No. 1 seed, and the New York Knicks, the reigning champions. The fifth seed seems a plausible projection for Toronto at this stage, but it carries real pressure on Leonard to deliver. Uncertainties remain around Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl, whose performances have yet to reach consistency. That said, the potential growth of Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Ja’Kobe Walter could be enough to push Toronto into the league’s upper echelon.
The exact outcome for the Eastern Conference is anyone’s guess this season. The Knicks and Pistons are expected to be standout performers, but other teams possess wide variance in possible finishes. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, and Atlanta Hawks could plateau with similar lineups as last year, or they could continue their upward trajectory, much like the Knicks did. The Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and Washington Wizards all aim to take meaningful steps forward with their new acquisitions. Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets and Indiana Pacers are returning with largely intact cores, sprinkled with tweaks, all hoping to make a stronger statement this season.