Fueled by Kawhi Leonard’s return, Toronto's versatility is starting to garner attention.
The Toronto Raptors have moved up to No. 4 in NBA.com’s latest Eastern Conference power rankings, but the jump comes with an interesting question attached to it.
Can the Raptors actually hold up against the biggest teams in the East?
That may sound strange for a team whose projected best lineup could feature Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles across the frontcourt. There is plenty of defensive versatility in that group, but there isn't much traditional size. Leonard is listed at 6-foot-6, Barnes at 6-foot-8 and Murray-Boyles at 6-foot-7.
That becomes a little more concerning when looking back at how Toronto finished its first-round playoff series.
The Raptors ranked 13th in rebounding percentage in the first round against the Cleveland Cavaliers and were outscored 45-17 on second-chance points over the final two games. For a team now being projected fourth in the conference, that is the sort of detail that could become much more important once the stakes rise again.
The Raptors' offseason plan, of course, is built around a player who can help address another problem entirely.
The acquisition of Leonard should give Toronto someone who can "close possessions and games," which would take some pressure off a team that leaned heavily on transition offense last season. No team received a greater percentage of its points from fast breaks, while only the Pacers were less effective in the final six seconds of the shot clock.
Toronto was already one of the NBA's most improved teams last season, improving by seven points per 100 possessions from 2024-25. The Raptors also ranked among the league's four most improved teams in effective field-goal percentage, turnover rate, opponent free-throw rate and opponent turnover rate.
Their style was built around creating advantages before defenses could get set. Leonard gives them another option when that isn't possible.
There is a reason, though, that NBA.com still singled out rebounding as the team's key question. The Raptors could be relying on a smaller, switch-heavy group that makes life difficult for opposing offenses but may have trouble finishing defensive possessions.
That concern is especially relevant after Toronto lost Sandro Mamukelashvili. And as the ongoing Aspiration investigation nears its resolution, the team must also face the challenge of keeping Leonard healthy and fresh for the postseason.
The optimism surrounding the Raptors is easy to understand. They improved dramatically last season, already have a defensive foundation and could be adding one of the league's most accomplished postseason players.
But the No. 4 ranking may ultimately be judged by what happens when the game slows down and the opposing team starts winning the battle on the glass.
Toronto appears to have found a way to become more dangerous offensively. The question now is whether it has enough size to make that version of the Raptors last through the postseason.
