First off, a tip of the cap to the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder. These two small-market franchises have risen against the odds to remain the NBA's last two teams competing for the right to raise that Larry O'Brien trophy at season's end.
I don't think many fans had this Finals matchup on their bingo cards at the start of the season, and yet, the 2024-25 NBA season proved to be one that stunned even the most knowledgeable fans and league insiders.
And with that, a team like the Toronto Raptors can draw hope from this exciting development of league parity and the evolving path to championship contention. They've already placed some of the right chess pieces in position, and now it's simply a matter of executing the move to secure checkmate and turn their fortunes around for the better.
Raptors could be in the title race soon if they handle their roster wisely
Looking at the Thunder and Pacers respectively, you quickly realize how well-built and structured they are — not only in terms of roster construction but also with a respected head coach at the helm. Sure, OKC has a captivating superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, while Indiana boasts a playmaking maestro in Tyrese Haliburton.
But it's no longer just about assembling a superteam to carry the load toward an NBA title; it all comes down to what a team can do with its best players — maximizing their strengths, covering their weaknesses, and acquiring supporting castmates who can rise to the occasion. Indiana found that in Pascal Siakam, a player Raptors fans can attest to for his greatness. Once again, he’s proving to be a key difference-maker for a title-contending team.
Depth is key for both of these teams. OKC has the luxury of boasting talent like Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, and Isaiah Hartenstein, while Indiana features players such as Myles Turner, Aaron Nesmith, Obi Toppin, Bennedict Mathurin, and Andrew Nembhard.
Looking back at Toronto, you can see their efforts to reestablish roster depth by uncovering hidden gems through the draft or taking chances on younger players who haven't quite found their NBA footing yet — unlocking that potential as part of the Raptors' vision.
That's been more or less the Oklahoma City way (or the Sam Presti special) for many years now, and it paints a pretty clear picture of what Toronto should continue to prioritize as they work their way back up to Eastern Conference dominance.
Recent reports have indicated that Toronto is on the hunt for "big fish" in the NBA trade market, with Giannis Antetokounmpo being one of the key names the Raptors reportedly believe could be their missing piece in a title push.
Who will be the player to propel Toronto over the hump?
While I support this ambitious vision, it shouldn't come at the expense of what they've carefully built — even though opportunities like this don't often come along for a franchise that's often overlooked like Toronto.
Antetokounmpo could certainly serve as that SGA-like or Haliburton/Siakam two-headed monster go-to guy for Toronto. However, if the Raptors end up losing a significant portion of their depth, team chemistry, and anchors in pursuit of a deal, there should be a solid contingency plan in place to recover those losses tenfold.
Once again, I'm not saying Toronto shouldn't make the deal; if anything, I think it's absolutely the right move to make. However, they simply cannot end up in a Phoenix Suns or post-Lakers championship retool situation at the end of the deal. The Raptors need to identify their poster boy within their title core and surround that player with the right mix of talent.
I believe this OKC-Indiana matchup isn't the first example of this pattern — just look at all the title-winning squads that came before them: Boston, Denver, Golden State, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Toronto.
When you analyze these teams, you see how much they mirror the Finals-bound Pacers and Thunder. It was never about stockpiling superstars upon superstars; when has that ever proven sustainable? A well-balanced roster, good coaching, and a bit of the stars aligning in a team's favor have been key.
The Raptors can take solace in the fact that they've never been prone to pursuing that destructive path. However, with the rumor mill heating up lately, they cannot afford to make that mistake now. They already have a solid core in place — it's more about pinpointing their franchise player than overhauling the roster.
On the bright side, I don't see Masai Ujiri as that kind of GM, so I'm not necessarily worried; we'll just have to see what this "explosive summer" has in store for the Toronto Raptors.