LeBron James is back in the Eastern Conference, giving the Philadelphia 76ers a massive boost next to Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe. The East is crowded with strong teams, and, barring some bad injury luck, some like the Knicks and 76ers are bound to finish the regular season with a top seed. Others, like the Bucks and Nets, can be expected to finish at the bottom of the standings.
James’s decision created a much clearer picture of the East pecking order than what we had when it was still uncertain whether he would sign with Philadelphia, Cleveland, or Miami. However, there’s still one massive question mark that could swing the power dynamics in the East: Kawhi Leonard.
With the trade between the Clippers and Raptors on hold, it’s incredibly difficult to evaluate where Toronto fits in with all the other teams looking to make a push for the Eastern Conference crown.
When the Raptors’ intentions to reunite with Kawhi Leonard were first made public, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said the move “changed the balance of power in the Eastern Conference.” It still has the power to do that if it goes through.
The outcome of the Kawhi Leonard saga will decide the Raptors’ season outlook
If the Raptors go into next season with Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick still on the roster, they will likely take a step back compared to last season. A team headlined by Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, and Collin Murray-Boyles would still be good, especially defensively, and several young players should be better than they were last season. Still, the likes of New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, Indiana, Cleveland, and Miami just have a ton of star power, experience, and talent to compete with.
Thanks to their swarming defense, the Raptors would still be a pest to deal with, but their offense probably just wouldn’t be good enough to make them a real threat to top of the Eastern Conference. They would probably find themselves in the play-in picture instead of with a top-six seed like last season.
If Ingram and Dick go to the Clippers in exchange for Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors’ season outlook looks very, very different. Yes, they would have to navigate many absences on Leonard’s part during the regular season because of load management, small injuries, and maybe even a suspension. Still, Leonard would give them a massive offensive boost that may be just enough to catapult them into the top half of the playoff standings.
The Raptors lacked a superstar go-to scorer who could create offense for themselves and others next to Scottie Barnes last season. Leonard would fill that hole and give the Raptors a legitimate shot at challenging the Knicks, 76ers, and other top teams in the East. However, right now, it’s impossible to know if or when the trade will actually go through and what the Raptors will look like next season.
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