It was pretty easy to be optimistic about the Toronto Raptors back in May, when they were coming off a dramatic seven-game first-round loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, which was the exclamation point on a 46-win regular season that represented a 16-win jump from the year before.

Scottie Barnes opened eyes around the NBA with his dominant two-way showing against the Cavs, where he was the best player on either team and perhaps for the first time showed his potential to be the kind of player that teams can load with their wildest dreams. 

The team’s youngsters grew up fast, with Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter and (then) rookie Collin Murray-Boyles building on strong regular seasons, collectively, by showing some real spark in the playoffs. RJ Barrett also proved himself a playoff riser, with his determination to crack the paint giving the Raptors' offence just the gas required at key moments. 

But as configured, was anyone looking at the Raptors as a team that could challenge the Eastern Conference elite? Were dreams of a run to the conference finals or beyond shared anywhere other than the most fervent, fanciful corners of the Raptors multiverse? 

Not really. This was a team that was 0-5 in the season series against the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks and finished the regular season 1-11 against the top three teams in the East and 1-12 against the top six teams in the West. 

But things were about to change. Perhaps buoyed by pushing the eventual conference finalist Cavaliers to seven games, or maybe flush with the confidence of the new five-year contract he signed back in June, Raptors general manager Bobby Webster cashed in some chips and pulled off one of the most stunning moves of the off-season: acquiring Kawhi Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033), a first-round pick swap in 2027 and two second-round picks (2030 and 2033). 

In an instant — well, a very long instant, given an NBA investigation into the Clippers for salary-cap circumvention as it relates to Leonard that dragged on until early September and delayed the deal being finalized for 10 weeks — expectations for the Raptors took a massive leap. 

So, yeah, to the extent it was easy to be optimistic about the Raptors in May, it’s really easy to be excited now, with training camp opening in Quebec City next Tuesday. 

Let’s get right to it: Five reasons to be optimistic about the Raptors heading into the 2026-27 season. 

1. Kawhi Leonard: No need to dance around it. When you add a seven-time all-NBA selection to your roster, your team is better. A lot better. A cynic might note that the Los Angeles Clippers had Kawhi Leonard on their roster for seven years and won just three playoff series, their high point a run to the Western Conference Finals in 2021. Twice Leonard was injured and couldn’t complete a first-round series.

But we’re trying to be optimistic here.

In the 35 playoff games he did........

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