Board man got paid. Kawhi Leonard has agreed to sign a two-year contract extension after he was traded back to Toronto from the Los Angeles Clippers last month. But is Leonard enough to push this team over the top? While some would argue yes, I believe they are still a move or two away from being true championship contenders, especially with their lack of depth at the centre position and struggles with rebounding.
In theory, acquiring Leonard for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and draft picks puts the team closer to contention, considering neither player made any significant impact in their first-round loss against the Cavaliers. In the 2026 playoffs, Ingram averaged 12 points per game compared to his 21.5 points per game during the regular season. Nonetheless, the Raptors were able to push the Cavaliers to seven games despite Ingram’s subpar performance and the fact that he missed a portion of the series due to injuries. Adding Leonard to a roster that gave the runners-up in the Eastern Conference a run for their money should be significant, but it’s not quite enough.
Durham College Athletic Director Scott Dennis also believes Leonard’s familiarity with the organization and championship pedigree should make the transition back to Toronto easier.
But Cleveland exposed one of Toronto’s biggest problems: rebounding.
The Raptors struggled on the glass throughout the series, showing why they still need an upgrade at centre. In Game 7, Toronto had seven offensive rebounds compared to Cleveland’s 20. Collin Murray-Boyles showed promise with his hustle, strength and rebounding, but he is a six-foot-seven power forward being asked to play centre against seven-footers. Jakob Poeltl gives Toronto size, but the Raptors still lack enough help at that position. They need another big man who can rebound, protect the rim and efficiently score three-pointers.
Dennis said rebounding becomes especially important because failing to secure defensive rebounds gives opponents more second-chance opportunities. He believes championship teams need to recognize weaknesses even when they are successful.
“Everybody loves to be a winner, but the bottom line is there can only be one champion,” Dennis said. “Sometimes you have to make tough decisions.”
The Raptors have already made one of those decisions by acquiring Leonard, but they shouldn’t stop there. General manager Bobby Webster pointed out that Toronto still owns its first-round picks for the next few seasons, leaving the door open for another trade.
“If we want to go for it, we can still go for it,” Webster said, according to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange. “Maybe that’s the distinction — (this was) just a bit of a swing — but there’s definitely more left on the bone.”
Not every improvement has to come from a trade. Immanuel Quickley is in an interesting spot. His role could be better suited to his strengths. When Quickley was with the New York Knicks, he spent more time playing off the ball and operated more like a shooting guard than a traditional point guard. Allowing Scottie Barnes to take more responsibility as a primary playmaker could allow Quickley to return to his original playing style. Playing Quickley off Barnes could make both him and the Raptors a scarier offensive threat.
Raptors Republic writer Joe Wolfond placed Toronto among the top teams in the Eastern Conference alongside the Knicks, Sixers and Celtics. As big of a fan as I am of this squad, that feels overly optimistic. The East has several teams capable of making noise in the postseason, and Toronto isn’t significantly better than all of them.
For example, the Philadelphia 76ers made some significant improvements to their roster this summer by trading for five-time NBA All-Star and former Finals MVP Jaylen Brown and signing superstar LeBron James in free agency. Those additions should give the Sixers a big boost compared to last season. Brown just came off the best season of his career and James continues to defy Father Time. Alongside All-Stars Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, plus promising second-year player V.J. Edgecombe, Brown and James give Philadelphia a lineup that should scare any team.
The Raptors do belong in the conversation, but there is a fine line between being a playoff threat and a championship favourite.
Leonard gives Toronto something it hasn’t had in years: a legitimate reason to go all-in. But the lesson from 2019 isn’t simply that Leonard can bring Toronto a championship. It’s putting the right roster around Leonard that can. The Raptors didn’t stop making moves after acquiring Leonard in 2018, as they went on to trade for Marc Gasol midway through the season, adding much-needed size, defence and playoff experience to an already talented roster.
The Raptors made their biggest move. Now they need to finish the job.