During Toronto Raptors media day, fans got answers to a handful of questions regarding this team, Kawhi Leonard's arrival, Scottie Barnes’ progression, different players’ roles and so much more. One of the most important questions that was asked came in the first portion of media availability when head coach Darko Rajakovic was asked about how Leonard can help Barnes and how he fits with the team.
Obviously Rajakovic’s answer was multi-layered because of how well-rounded and special of a two-way talent Leonard is. However, one part stood out from his spiel about Leonard more than anything else.
“Kawhi does so many things at a high level already. I think, defensively, the way we want to play, the way we want to be disruptive, it's going to be something that he needs to help us there in that area as well. You know, he needs to help us with rebounding the ball on the defensive end. Offensively, I think he's going to fit in our system really well with the ball movement with the spacing that we want to provide to our guys to make plays. And I think his experience, you know, is going to be great for our team,” said Rajakovic.
The part about Leonard providing Toronto help on the defensive glass really stood out to me, as that is an area the Raptors have struggled and it’s part of Leonard’s game that was definitely overlooked.
Leonard's rebounding could help solve a major weakness
The Raptors were one of two playoff teams from last season that finished in the bottom eight in defensive rebounds per game. Toronto ranked eighth-worst, with the Phoenix Suns being the other playoff team in the bottom tier as the second-worst. These problems also carried into the playoffs, with the Raptors giving up the second-most offensive rebounds per game this postseason in their seven-game series with Cleveland.
Considering Jakob Poeltl’s age and recent health issues, having him in the paint banging with other bigs and fighting for rebounds alone is a dangerous game. So it’s nice to know that Toronto sees Leonard as more than a two-way scorer and wants him to provide relief with his length and skill on the defensive glass.
While the 27.9 points per game and 38.7 percent three-point clip might be the parts of Leonard's stat line from last season that pop off the page, his rebounding numbers were great too. Leonard averaged 6.4 rebounds per game. Even better, the advanced stats loved his season as a rebounder in 2025-26. According to Cleaning the Glass, Leonard was in the 91st percentile in rebounding missed field goals on the defensive glass and the 97th percentile in rebounding missed free throws on the defensive end.
What makes Leonard such a threat on the glass as a wing/forward is the combination of body control, discipline, length, strength, and obviously skill. Over his 15-year NBA career, he’s had a handful of seasons where he averaged seven-plus rebounds per game and only one year where he didn’t eclipse five boards per game.
Obviously, the draw with the addition of Leonard is going to be that Toronto now finally has a closer, adds another elite two-way talent, and a high-end floor spacer. But his rebounding can’t be overlooked. For the wing/forward spot, Leonard is truly an A1 rebounder, and for a team that has struggled to close possessions on the defensive glass in recent memory, that is going to provide real value.
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