Raptors fans—and, more importantly, players—are still waiting on news about a trade that would send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and some draft picks to the Clippers for Kawhi Leonard. The deal was first reported in June, but the Raptors have since paused the trade to await the outcome of the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers for alleged salary cap circumvention.
Things started to look up when ESPN reported that the law firm conducting the investigation found no evidence of salary cap circumvention. But then the NBA released a statement saying that the ESPN article features some inaccuracies. It’s been quiet ever since.
Ramona Shelburne reported on ESPN LA on August 28, “If this trade doesn’t go through, if for some reason Toronto doesn’t want to proceed with it until they know the investigation, the Clippers are fine with Kawhi being back on the team.”
The Raptors should feel quite differently about the whole situation. If they don’t land Kawhi Leonard ahead of the 2026-27 season, they not only risk taking a massive step backwards compared to last year’s fifth-place finish, but the front office will also have to answer some very uncomfortable questions. Scottie Barnes is about to enter his prime. If they went all in on a veteran star only to not get him and watch other potential sidekicks for Barnes be moved in the meantime, it will be a very bad look—even if the trade is just postponed until the trade deadline and not ruined for good. Moreover, taking back Ingram after trading him for an “upgrade” could become very awkward.
The Eastern Conference got a lot better
The only teams that finished ahead of the Raptors in the Eastern Conference standings last season were the Pistons, Celtics, Knicks, and Cavs. The Knicks and Celtics will still be very good. The Cavs should also still be good, especially if their Peyton Watson addition works out. The Pistons still have to figure out their Jalen Duren situation, but with Cade Cunningham leading the charge, they should still win a bunch of games.
On top of that, several teams that finished below the Raptors last season got better. The 76ers added Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. The Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo and made some solid moves in free agency. Moreover, the Pacers will have Tyrese Haliburton back from injury.
The Raptors’ defense will make them a tough opponent on any given night—with or without Kawhi Leonard—but if they truly want to hang with the best teams in the Eastern Conference, they will need to take a step forward offensively. Their offense has a clear ceiling, with Brandon Ingram as their best scorer alongside Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett.
Basically running back last season’s team with Kyle Anderson or rookie Allen Graves in place of Sandro Mamukelashvili could easily lead to a play-in finish in the new-look East. Of course, if they trade for Leonard and he’s hurt most of the season, they could find themselves in the same position. Still, adding Leonard significantly raises the team’s potential.
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