While Kawhi Leonard’s official return will have to wait, the Toronto Raptors’ upcoming pre-season contest against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday should have no shortage of fascinating storylines, particularly for those wondering about what kind of progress players have made over the summer.
With tip-off scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST on TSN, fans in Vancouver could potentially be treated to the most accurate glimpse of the roster’s ceiling (or baseline). It would be a small sample size, but Raptors
Nation is eager to find out if the roster has improved enough to support its newest superstar.
Here are three thoughts headed into the game:
The actual dress rehearsal?
Even without Leonard, the penultimate exhibition game could serve as the first (and last) real look at what the rest of the team looks like. Should Head Coach Darko Rajakovic rest his starters or have them operating on limited minutes, then this matchup will be the one to overanalyze.
In their 129-105 loss to the Miami Heat on Oct. 3, the Raptors were without nine players. That group included key players like Leonard, Allen Graves, Jamison Battle, Alijah Martin, Kyle Anderson and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Toronto shot 12/41 (29 per cent) from deep, driving fans to wonder if another season of poor shooting awaits around the corner. Should Graves and Battle be healthy enough to suit up, that’ll be a decent amount of added firepower.
It would also be the first time audiences watch Graves on the court with Scottie Barnes. They’re both jumbo playmakers that wreak havoc on defence. If Barnes is healthy enough to play (he suffered a minor knee scare against the Heat), it’ll be interesting to see how he and Graves play off each other. That first defensive highlight or big-to-big pass will do numbers on social media.
This is a big season for Battle, who is in the final year of his contract. Shooters become game-changing components of an elite offence when next to a legit star like Leonard.
Go watch Immanuel Quickley
If a player like Battle can dramatically impact win probabilities while playing next to elite talent, then someone like Immanuel Quickley is capable of earning end-of-season honours. It’s difficult to see Toronto with three All-Stars. It’s doubtful the team ends up with three players on one of the All-NBA teams. But Quickley could get into discussions, especially for the Most Improved Player, if he can reach the levels he did during the backend of his tenure with the New York Knicks.
The discourse around General Manager and Executive Vice-President Bobby Webster potentially acquiring someone like Kyrie Irving is thought-provoking. However, Quickley’s success can shield Toronto from spending even more of its resources. When Quickley is at his best, he’s truly the perfect type of guard next to Leonard on the offensive side of the ball: an elite catch-and-shoot guard with intimidating range, who is also capable of attacking closeouts with a reliable floater.
The rookie impresses early
Graves is the type of player who excels when surrounded by professional talent. In his first game with actual NBA players, don’t be surprised if he meshes perfectly with his teammates. Graves is the connective tissue on offence. He could play the “offensive hub” role that Barnes normally occupies, especially when the latter hits the bench. On the defensive end, Graves was praised for his active and quick hands. He’ll join an army of defenders that patrolled passing lanes at an elite level during the 2025-26 season.
Prediction: 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, two made threes, and a fun sequence with Collin Murray-Boyles
