4 Teams the Raptors need to pass in the standings to reach the Playoffs
It's not entirely clear what the Toronto Raptors' goals for this season are.
Long-term, the Raptors want proof of concept on their young core. They want to know that Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and probably RJ Barrett all fit together. They want to know that Gradey Dick and Ja'Kobe Walter are at worst rotation players. But for this season, is their goal to be bad enough to add another top draft pick to the mix, or good enough to make a real run at the playoffs?
Given that Toronto did not sell off any of its veterans this summer, let's assume that they are at least not opposed to competing this season. That means testing this group of players in what they hope is a winning environment, a significant step forward on the 25-27 season from last year.
It also means moving up the ladder of the Eastern Conference standings and passing those teams that finished above them last season. Is that a realistic accomplishment? They finished 12th last season; can they pass four teams in order to get into the Top 8? Can the Raptors be back in the playoffs next season?
Let's look at each of the teams they would need to overcome to measure how realistic of a task that appears to be.
No. 4: Brooklyn Nets
The easiest team on this list to pass, the Brooklyn Nets have left no mystery as to their plans for this season. They not only traded away their best player, Mikal Bridges, but they did so at the same time they made a swap of draft picks with the Houston Rockets to get back their first-round pick for 2025. They are entering at least one season of all-out tanking in an attempt to add a talent like Cooper Flagg.
It will be surprising if the Nets can even muster 20 wins next year, especially as they are likely to continue moving off of veterans. Bridges was not just their best player, he was their only Top-60 player; in a ranking of each team's "best player" the Nets would now finish last in the entire NBA, without question. The Raptors should be able to pace well ahead of the Nets even if they don't improve on last season.