The Toronto Raptors are getting closer to the start of training camp, and with how mixed reports are circulating about when Kawhi Leonard is expected to join the team, it may be time to pivot. I’d assume that if the trade doesn’t go through, Toronto will still explore trading Brandon Ingram to avoid any awkwardness that BI rejoining the team would bring—they should pivot to Michael Porter Jr.
In no way am I suggesting MPJ is on the same tier as Leonard. But the NBA offseason is at a point where no star of Leonard’s caliber is expected to be made available, and with Jake Fischer reporting that he doesn’t expect a contract extension for MPJ in Brooklyn, he could be available.
Porter Jr. is coming off a career year where he probably should’ve been an All-Star over Ingram in the Eastern Conference. This past season, he averaged 24.2 points and 7.1 rebounds, but more importantly, he shot 36.3 percent from three on 9.3 attempts per game. In 2025-26, Toronto was 26th in three-pointers made per game, as shooting and floor spacing were consistent issues that resulted in the Raptors being shot out of several games. Porter Jr. would help massively fix that and give this team a floor spacer they’ve never had in the Scottie Barnes era.
Porter Jr. could be the complementary star Barnes needs
If the Leonard trade does fall through, one thing that instantly becomes non-negotiable is that Scottie Barnes has to become this team's 1A. For years, people have questioned whether he has the killer mentality offensively to be a No. 1 option, close out games, and be the guy teammates look to in the dying moments of games to come up. The defense has never been a question because no matter what role or situation he is put in on that end, he’ll find a way to thrive.
Now, I’m not making excuses for Barnes, but we’ve seen that with powerful downhill scorers and distributors at the forward spot, the best way to maximize them is with floor spacing. Look at LeBron James or, more recently, Giannis Antetokounmpo, two guys who saw their most success when surrounded by elite shooters.
That’s why MPJ could be the right pivot for this team. Not only is he an elite floor spacer, but he also showed with the Nets that he has the chops to be a No. 2-caliber scorer.
The other piece that fans should like about a Porter Jr. trade is that there would be no need to commit to him long-term. Sure, it would be a nice gesture to trade for him and buy into him immediately by offering him a long-term extension, but it’s not a requirement. Moving Ingram for him would shave two years of $40-plus million in payroll off the Raptors' books. It’s fair to assume the Nets would only accept an MPJ-for-BI swap if the Raptors also sent some draft capital; but that would be worth it to create more financial flexibility down the road.
There’s no perfect pivot from Kawhi Leonard, but if the Raptors were forced to make one, there are no realistic solutions that bring more positives to the table than Michael Porter Jr.
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