The Raptors are still waiting for the outcome of the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers for alleged salary-cap circumvention to see if they want to move on with their trade for Kawhi Leonard. They also failed to get the center upgrade many fans were so desperately hoping for. After an injury-riddled down season and a playoff run in which he was largely outplayed by a rookie, most fans have seen enough of the Jakob Poeltl experience.
However, it seems that the Raptors will go into next season with Poeltl as their starting center, hoping that he can bounce back and maybe even rebuild his trade value enough to spare the Raptors from having to send out multiple picks to move off his contract. Darko Rajakovic will have to be ready to play Collin Murray-Boyles a ton at the five.
Relying heavily on Murray-Boyles in the post has its perks. If Kawhi Leonard comes to Toronto, he, Scottie Barnes, and Murray-Boyles would be an absolute defensive terror. It could also pose a challenge on the glass, though. Rebounding is something the Raptors already struggled with last season, particularly during the playoffs.
The key question for the Raptors in the NBA’s latest Eastern Conference power rankings was: “Can a smaller frontline hold up on the glass?”
“The Raptors’ best lineup would seemingly have Leonard, Scottie Barnes, and Murray-Boyles on the frontline,” John Schumann wrote. “That’s a strong, switchable group, but those three guys are 6-foot-6, 6-foot-8 and 6–foot-7, respectively. That means rebounding could be an issue for a team that ranked 13th in rebounding percentage in the first round, getting outscored by 28 points (45-17) on second chances over the last two games.”
The Raptors still finished fourth in the power rankings.
The Raptors still have time to upgrade the center position
If the trade for Leonard works out as planned, the Raptors will still have first-round picks in 2028, 2029, 2030, and 2032 as well as second-round picks in the next three drafts to move. They also still have RJ Barrett’s expiring salary (unless they extend him) and Immanuel Quickley’s and Poeltl’s big contracts.
They will still be able to make additional moves once Leonard is officially on the roster. If Poeltl puts together another subpar season, hopefully the Raptors can get an upgrade or at least another solid reserve ahead of the 2027 trade deadline.
Positioning Murray-Boyles as the main backup center is a lot to ask from an undersized second-year player, so upgrading the center quality and depth should be a priority. Many of the top teams in the East have great bigs to contend with. The Knicks just won a title with Karl-Anthony Towns; the Cavs still have Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, who posed a challenge for the Raptors in the playoffs; the Heat have Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo; and the Pacers got Ivica Zubac to pair with Pascal Siakam. That’s not even mentioning the 76ers with a healthy Joel Embiid, and the Pistons with Jalen Duren if he re-signs as a restricted free agent.
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