The Eastern Conference continues to get tougher and tougher while the Raptors are waiting for the outcome of the investigation into the Clippers’ alleged salary-cap circumvention and a verdict on Kawhi Leonard’s future. The Atlanta Hawks added defensive talent and championship experience when they traded for Lu Dort, further amplifying the Raptors’ desperate need to bring Leonard back to Toronto.
Recent intel from The Stein Line suggests that the Hawks could become even more dangerous either by the next trade deadline or in the offseason ahead of the 2027-28 season.
“Multiple rival team executives have noted this week that the Hawks, after adding Dort, are flush with the sort of mid-tier salaries that could be easily packaged with draft capital to make a run at a star who becomes available via trade,” Marc Stein and Jake Fischer wrote.
The Hawks found their groove in the second half of last season, finished sixth in the Eastern Conference standings, and handed the Knicks two of their three losses on their way to a championship. Atlanta is already a good team and promises to be a menace defensively this upcoming season. If they can trade for a star during or after the 2026-27 season, they could be a real problem for the Raptors, even if Leonard joins the team as intended.
The Hawks join a long list of Eastern Conference teams that improved their rosters this offseason
The Raptors’ swing for Kawhi Leonard is one of the biggest moves of the offseason. It’s not the only big move, however. Two Eastern Conference rivals made similarly big swings for veteran superstars. The Heat added Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the 76ers essentially replaced 36-year-old Paul George with Jaylen Brown, who played like an MVP candidate last season.
The 76ers and Heat could make another big addition as well. They are two of the teams reportedly still in the running for LeBron James alongside the Cavaliers. So, like the Raptors, those three teams are stuck waiting for a big decision. However, unlike the Raptors, two of them already pulled off game-changing trades this summer.
Other teams will get better without even having to make major outside additions. The Pacers, for example, will get Tyrese Haliburton back from the injury he suffered in the 2025 NBA Finals. The Celtics may have lost Brown, but they should have Jayson Tatum for a whole season.
The Eastern Conference is getting crowded with talent and teams hoping to contend for a championship. Getting Kawhi Leonard is the Raptors’ best shot at separating themselves from the pack.
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