Now the Toronto Raptors are starting a new chapter without Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, where do they rank in the Eastern Conference?
The departures of Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green have left a significant hole in the Toronto Raptors starting lineup. Along with losing two of their best players, the Raptors have watched the Eastern Conference improve all around them.
Winning their first-ever NBA title in the 2018-19 season, the Raptors put the sword into a number of up and coming teams in the East, including the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers. Both teams added to their already impressive rosters this season, both should look for revenge against the current NBA champions.
The Eastern Conference has fallen short in the past few years in terms of talent, compared to the West, with a large quantity of the games best players residing in the Western Conference. The likes of Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and James Harden all made their names in the West, and now the Los Angeles Clippers have added Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to their roster, the West just got even stronger.
There were waves made by the East, too. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving shocked the world by teaming up and joining the Brooklyn Nets in free agency. Durant, likely, won’t see the court next season but expect fireworks when the two share the court.
Even without Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green on the roster, the Raptors still have a talented team full of hungry players. Most importantly, it’s a team full of champions. Sure, Leonard and Green helped tip the Raptors over the edge, but every Raptor that played in the playoffs showed up when they needed it the most.
The Eastern Conference could prove to be a cauldron of talent this season, but where do the Toronto Raptors rank in all the chaos?
Here’s the top five.