Darko Rajakovic's team won games last season by making opponents work for every possession, not by outscoring them. The roster returns largely intact, and the unanswered half of the equation is still the offense.
The defense holds
Toronto's identity starts on the other end of the floor. Last season the Raptors ranked 5th in defensive rating at 112.1, playing at a deliberate 99.2 pace, with Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl setting the tone up front. Barnes, the 25-year-old anchor since Pascal Siakam left for Indiana, logged 80 games at 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists. That is the part of the roster already proven.
The offense lags
The offense is the open question. Toronto's rating of 115.0 ranked just 14th, pulling a net rating of plus-2.9 down to 11th overall, even with four players scoring in double figures: Barrett at 19.3, Quickley at 16.4, Poeltl at 10.7, and Leonard at 27.9 across 65 games. Barrett and Quickley arrived in the December 2023 deal that reshaped the backcourt, but volume alone has not translated into an offense that matches the defense.
What tips it
The front office is betting the pieces, not a rebuild, close that gap. Leonard's extension is done after a summer that included a Clippers agreement in June, a league investigation closed September 2 with a $700,000 fine, and a trade back to Toronto on September 14. He was cleared from the injury report October 12. Payroll sits at $202.5 million, above the $200.4 million tax line, with Leonard at $50.3 million and Barnes at $41.8 million anchoring the books. Toronto owns nearly every one of its first-round picks through 2030. The roster has the scoring; what it lacked last season was Leonard on the floor for all 82 games. If that changes, the offense closes the gap. If it doesn't, the defense will be left carrying the same weight it did a year ago.
Why did the Raptors' offense rank so low last season despite having so many scorers?
Toronto's offensive rating of 115.0 ranked 14th even with Barnes, Leonard, Barrett and Quickley all scoring in double figures, while the defense ranked 5th at 112.1, which is why the net rating landed at just plus-2.9.
Are the Raptors over the luxury tax this season?
Yes. Toronto's $202.5 million payroll sits above the $200.4 million tax line, led by Kawhi Leonard's $50.3 million salary and Scottie Barnes' $41.8 million.
