The way the 2026-27 season goes for the Toronto Raptors continues to hinge on the potential return of Kawhi Leonard. After the deal was made with the Los Angeles Clippers in late June, it’s seemed like all bad for the Raptors. Whether it was the several weeks of radio silence or Pablo Torre continuing to release new information to the public, real worry about this deal being out there has set in with Raptors fans.
Thankfully for fans, a light is creeping its way down the tunnel.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Monday morning that Kawhi is continuing to work under the belief that the league’s investigation will conclude before the start of Toronto’s training camp.
The idea of the Raptors, Leonard and the Clippers being in the clear ahead of Toronto’s September 29 start to training camp isn’t new. It was first mentioned by Sportsnet’s Michael Grange, who shared his opinion on the situation and made it clear he believed things would be in the clear by then.
With the Eastern Conference turning into a juggernaut unlike it has ever been this offseason, having Leonard at camp is a necessity for Toronto’s hopes of being a title contender in 2026-27.
Training camp is a deadline for the Raptors' championship aspirations
Although Leonard can technically work out and train with Raptors players ahead of camp, the connections he can build while the team is together in Quebec City are crucial. The difference between those private workouts and being with the rest of the roster, building that rapport and chemistry, is massive. Having Leonard around and fostering connections not just on the court but off the court with the coaching and medical staff, as well as his co-star Scottie Barnes, is crucial to this group's success.
Raptors fans are familiar with Leonard.
He’s a shy, introverted guy, and that doesn’t always make it easy for coaches or teammates to really connect with him and build that synergy from day one. Going back to 2019, it took a while for him and Kyle Lowry to get on the same page, but when they did, the team became nearly unstoppable, leading to an NBA championship. That’s why getting him in the building for camp is needed because it’s an opportunity for Darko Rajakovic to establish his pecking order and lay out his vision.
But all of that is extremely hard to do if a player who finished top-10 in MVP voting walks through the door after camp has concluded.
So if the soonest Leonard believes he’ll be allowed to join the team is camp, so be it, but it really can’t come any later. For a team looking to contend immediately, every day the Raptors spend without Leonard matters and could be the difference between chasing a title and playing catch-up all season.
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