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Conference Finals are highlighting two very conflicting Raptors realities

The Raptors still have a lot of work to do.
ByElaine Blum|
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Apr 29, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) and forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) react against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first quarter of game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Apr 29, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) and forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) react against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first quarter of game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

While the Toronto Raptors are preparing for an important offseason and some difficult roster decisions, four teams are still battling for spots in the finals. The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are tied 1-1 in the Western Conference Finals, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are down 0-1 to the New York Knicks in the East. 

Watching those two series from afar is starting to inspire two very conflicting feelings for Raptors fans: existential dread about the fact that any team that wants to win a championship in the next few years will have to go through Thunder and Spurs teams that will only continue to get better, and relief that the Raptors are playing in the Eastern Conference. At the moment, anything seems better than having to face the Thunder and Spurs for years on end. 

If the Raptors make the right moves, they could have a real chance in the Eastern Conference

The playoff race in the Eastern Conference was a bloodbath this season. Every game mattered down the line, as several teams were in the running to finish anywhere between fifth and tenth place. It’s not going to get any easier in the future. The Indiana Pacers will get Tyrese Haliburton back and regain their contender status, and the Charlotte Hornets will only continue to get better. 

Nevertheless, there’s hope for the Raptors to be a very competitive team in the Eastern Conference. After all, they almost beat one of the teams in the conference finals in the first round without two of their starters. 

If they make some savvy offseason additions to improve the offense, they could be truly competing with teams like Cleveland and New York. 

The Spurs and Thunder are miles ahead of the Raptors

The Raptors have a young roster. Five of their seven leaders in minutes per game for the playoffs are 25 or younger. But that’s not as much an anomaly in the playoffs as it may seem. Five of the Spurs’ seven leaders in minutes per game in the playoffs are also 25 or younger. For the Thunder, four are. 

And yet, those two teams are way ahead of the Raptors in their roster-building processes. The Thunder have already won a title, and both teams will be forces of nature for years to come. The Spurs, especially, with a core of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, and Dylan Harper will only continue to get better. Both the Thunder and Spurs already have MVP winners and candidates. 

The Raptors, meanwhile, are still figuring out how to best build around Scottie Barnes, who is still waiting for his first All-NBA nod, and his two-way talent. 

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