Ja’Kobe Walter may already be primed to play a pivotal role on this Raptors squad moving forward, but that doesn’t mean he can’t take another leap and continue to climb the ranks as an impact player. In my last piece, I highlighted Walter’s lofty goals for himself (particularly on the defensive end) and called that his golden ticket to raising his ceiling with the Raptors.
Now that preseason is underway, another major opportunity could be on the horizon for Walter to prove himself in his Raptors journey.
Walter is already a key Raptors piece, but preseason run could make him even more central to Toronto’s plans
Last night officially kicked off the 2026 Raptors preseason, as Toronto faced the now-Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Miami Heat in front of a Quebec City crowd. Unfortunately, the Raptors were soundly beaten, 129–105. It wasn’t the result they were hoping for, and the game highlighted a few glaring weaknesses in the current squad, but it’s preseason, so we should take those lessons with a grain of salt.
What I really want to focus on is Kawhi Leonard’s absence. He was scratched for a coach’s decision and isn’t expected to suit up next week when the Raptors visit Vancouver for more preseason action. Toronto was also without Kyle Anderson, Jamison Battle, Allen Graves, Alijah Martin, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Andre Jackson Jr., Nate Bittle, and Trey Jemison III, making for quite the inactive list.
With Kawhi out, these preseason games are a big opportunity for Walter to show he can hang with the starters and build a strong audition tape — whether that means earning a consistent spot in the starting lineup or simply gaining the coaching staff’s trust. He got his chance on October 3, earning the starting nod alongside Barnes, Quickley, Poeltl, and RJ.
For a guy like RJ Barrett, his spotlight in Kawhi-less games is nothing new. In the October 3 matchup against Miami, he delivered, leading the Raptors in points (15, doing most of his damage from the free-throw line) alongside Tyreke Key, while Scottie Barnes and Chucky Hepubrn weren't too far behind with 11 each.
Scottie B. and RJ are undoubtedly going to be thrust into bigger roles in these situations, if only because of what’s expected of them. For Walter, I think the conversation is a bit different.
Right now, Walter is expected to remain a key part of the young Bench Mob heading into the 2026–27 season. But if he can make the most of his preseason minutes, showing off the impact defense he strives for and the flamethrower three-point shot he’s been steadily building — I don’t see why we can't imagine a key lineup (potentially becoming the starters) like IQ–Walter–Leonard–Barnes–CMB next season, with say, Barrett and Poeltl coming off the bench.
Now, It wasn’t a flawless start for Walter on October 3, but he showed the aggression to get shots up, going 3-for-8 from the field and 2-for-6 from three (which is a big expectation for him this year). Overall, he finished with eight points and five rebounds in just over 17 minutes, right alongside guys like RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl in playing time.
With next week’s game against the Clippers and the final three preseason games to follow, Walter can’t take this opportunity lightly. I wouldn’t call this team’s rotation totally set in stone — the pieces can always shuffle around. If Kawhi isn’t suiting up, Barnes and Barrett will be expected to lead the offense, but Walter could also earn a more prominent role.
But a noticeable leap will be needed. Getting more shots is one thing; making them count, like he did in the playoffs, is another. And bringing that pesky defense will be just as key too.
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