Are the 26-27 Raptors Built for Championship Contention?
During Tuesday afternoon, Shams Charania reported that two-time NBA Champion Kawhi Leonard has been traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, a 2031 and 2033 unprotected first-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks. Now, Leonard is heading back to the franchise he originally left after helping the Raptors win their first NBA Championship in 2019, after failing to bring a championship to his home state over the past five seasons. With pieces already in place despite Toronto moving Ingram, such as Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and Jakob Poeltl, the Raptors have some solid pieces surrounding the two-time NBA Finals MVP. The real question is whether the Raptors are built for championship contention during the 26-27 NBA season.
This past season, Toronto won 46 games, finishing as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. They would face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round and push the Cavs to the limit as the Raptors extended the series every chance they had. Toronto’s play stood out against a great Cavaliers team, but their youth and playoff inexperience eventually caught up with them as they lost Game Seven 114-102. Regardless of losing the series, Toronto showed how scary they can be and pushed a team like Cleveland, who made the Eastern Conference Finals, to its limits.
That’s where Leonard steps in. The 35-year-old has done it all within his 15-year career and arguably had the best season of his career last season, averaging a career-high 28 points a game. If the two-time NBA Champion can continue to find success offensively like he did last season while being the same defensive force the two-time Defensive Player of the Year has been throughout his entire career, Leonard and the Raptors may find a ton of success during the 26-27 NBA season.
While injuries and load management could be a factor for Leonard, Toronto took the right step in getting them closer to another NBA Championship. They’ll have to compete in a loaded Eastern Conference with teams like the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, and Cavaliers looking to be the East’s top team. Yet, the two-time NBA Champion is ready to make an impact for the Raptors once again and continue to build his Hall of Fame resume. Many cited that Leonard should have never left Toronto during free agency in 2019, and now could right his wrong during the upcoming season.
