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Toronto Raptors: Ranking Raptors players in 2018-19

By Jordan Fleguel

TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 30: Kyle Lowry #7 and Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors high five during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves January 30, 2018 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 30: Kyle Lowry #7 and Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors high five during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves January 30, 2018 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Matteo Marchi/Getty Images)
(Photo by Matteo Marchi/Getty Images) /

#1 Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard is the best player on the Raptors roster, and he might be the best player in Raptor history.

Leonard is a former finals MVP and two-time defensive player of the year.  He’s come second and third place in regular season MVP voting and has made two All-NBA teams.  The list goes on.

The biggest concern is, he only played nine games last season.  nine games.  Which means that we haven’t seen him play at full-strength in over a year.

His accolades speak for themselves, but in the NBA, when players miss an extended period of time due to injury, there’s never a guarantee that they’ll come back the same player, or that they’ll ever reach the same level again.

The good news for Toronto is that even if Leonard returns as half the player he was in 2016 and 2017, they’ll be in pretty good shape.

In the event that Leonard does come back fully recovered from injury, here’s what the Raptors will gain:  The best two-way player in the league.

Leonard’s is one of the best perimeter defenders of all-time. Leonard is also one of the most efficient high-volume scorers in the league.  He can score 25-30 points, and shoot over 50-percent from the field on any given night.

He has no weaknesses when it comes to shooting the ball. He’s expanded his range to the three-point line and is efficient from there as well.  He has a plethora of post-moves and has Kobe Bryant-like footwork, that makes him almost impossible to guard.

He’s athletic and still in his prime so he has no problem getting to the rim.  His abnormally large hands, athletic frame, and springy bounce don’t hurt either.

Next. Predicting the Raptors starting lineup next season. dark

Leonard will have to prove that he can still play, but if all goes well, the Raptors have the best player in the Eastern Conference.

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