In August 2025, way before the start of the season, ESPN predicted that the Raptors wouldn’t even make the play-in tournament. They were projected to finish 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 33-49 record. In October, ESPN’s Kevin Pelton projected that the team would win 40.7 games—the ninth most in the Eastern Conference.
The Raptors absolutely smashed those expectations, finishing with a 46-36 record, securing a playoff spot, and pushing the deeper, more veteran Cleveland Cavaliers to Game 7.
So, it’s really no surprise to hear head coach Darko Rajaković stamp the season as a success even after a disappointing 114-102 loss to end the team’s season and first playoff run with its current core.
“Absolute success,” Rajaković said in the media availability after Game 7. “I’m really proud of everything that we were able to accomplish this year from developing our young guys, from our culture taking the next step, from all the things that we were controlling, all the work we put in, all the connectivity that we had.”
He also added, “I think this was exactly what this team needed, and I think this is going to set us up for a lot of success in the future.”
This season taught the Raptors a lot about the future
Exceeding expectations and playing in a seven-game playoff series is great. But the Raptors won’t be able to bask in that success for long. It’s already time to think about the offseason.
The Raptors saw young players emerge as reliable rotational contributors and even building blocks—Collin Murray-Boyles had an outstanding rookie season, and Ja’Kobe Walter and Jamal Shead showed promise in their second season—but they also learned who shouldn’t be a part of their future.
Brandon Ingram’s short and uninspiring playoff run unearthed serious doubts about his fit with the team and its identity. Likewise, Jakob Poeltl somehow made the Raptors’ decision to give him a massive extension look even worse than it already had before. It also seems to be time to move on from Gradey Dick, who never even got a shot at real playoff minutes and might benefit from a fresh start elsewhere.
Then, the Raptors also have to make decisions about RJ Barrett’s and Immanuel Quickley’s futures with the team. Barrett played extremely well in the first six games and sent the Raptors to Game 7 with a clutch 3-pointer. He established himself as a hometown hero and deserves an extension, but he could also be a valuable trade asset if the Raptors want to go after a superstar.
Quickley’s absence was definitely felt offensively, but the Raptors will never know how much better they would have been overall with him in the lineup, which makes it difficult to evaluate his future with the team.
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