The Toronto Raptors have fallen in the Eastern Conference outlook for the upcoming season after the league’s investigation stalled the trade that would bring seven-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard to the roster. The investigation links Leonard, the Los Angeles Clippers and the franchise’s lead sponsor, Aspiration, and the NBA has said that all evidence has been gathered and a decision from Commissioner Adam Silver is pending. Once the ruling is issued, the trade can be completed, but the delay has already nudged Toronto’s projection downward.
TSN’s latest odds board, sourced from DraftKings Sportsbook, lists Toronto with the sixth-highest chance to reach the NBA Finals. The Raptors sit just behind the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers, which occupy the top three spots. The board also reflects a crowded Eastern Conference, where a dozen teams are expected to vie for Play-In tournament berths. The list includes the reigning champion New York Knicks, the LeBron James-led Philadelphia 76ers, and the Jayson Tatum-anchored Boston Celtics, all of whom are projected as championship contenders.
Leonard’s arrival does not automatically lift Toronto into the conference’s upper tier. The Raptors still lack a true playmaker to pair with Leonard’s off-ball scoring and defensive versatility. Their perimeter depth is thin, and the team must still resolve its salary-cap situation before adding the free-agent pieces that could push them above the mid-tier pack. Without a reliable point guard to run the offense, Leonard’s impact could be muted, especially against the East’s deep talent pool.
The Eastern Conference this offseason is stacked. In addition to the Knicks, 76ers and Celtics, the 60-win Detroit Pistons, the Indiana Pacers with Tyrese Haliburton returning to form, the Cavaliers and the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Miami Heat all feel they have a realistic shot at the playoffs. Toronto now finds itself grouped with these clubs, underscoring how competitive the landscape has become.
The next few weeks will determine the trajectory of Toronto’s season. A ruling from Commissioner Silver is expected in the coming weeks, after which the Leonard trade can be finalized. The Raptors will then head into free agency with a clearer cap picture and will need to add at least one complementary piece, ideally a steady point guard, to improve their standing. If they can address those roster gaps, the gap between them and the Pistons or Cavaliers could narrow; if not, the current projection of a lower finish may become the baseline for a franchise still searching for a sustainable identity in a crowded Eastern Conference.
