General manager Bobby Webster and the Toronto Raptors have put themselves in a firm position to contend for an NBA championship next season. After acquiring seven-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard in a blockbuster trade, the franchise that just made its first postseason appearance since 2022 is immediately leaping to one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
In the NBA, though, nothing is guaranteed. Injuries, chemistry issues, or poor individual and team stretches can plague teams that are expected to win it all at the worst possible times. For this reason, it’s extremely important to have great depth to counter these potential issues when they arise. This could be a major problem for the Raptors moving forward; while the core of Leonard, Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Collin Murray-Boyles is extremely promising, they need help when they aren’t on the floor.
The forward group isn’t the issue for Toronto; it’s the guards and centers. There aren’t many championship-level backups for starters Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl, and neither has proven their ability to stay on the floor and play well on both ends for significant stretches. With two remaining roster spots, it’s anticipated that another backup big man will be brought in to help Trayce Jackson-Davis, but the guard spot remains an issue. Third-year guard Jamal Shead has proven his worth as a backup ball-handler, but his lack of shooting really hurt the team in critical moments.
Getting back to the forward group, there are actually too many players worthy of substantial minutes. Of course, Barnes and Leonard will be the starters and closers of that position group, but Murray-Boyles needs a larger role this season to blossom. Newly signed Kyle Anderson brings a veteran presence with experience that will help stabilize a sometimes erratic halfcourt offense. Then rookie first-round pick Allen Graves must be factored in as well; if he doesn’t get his fair share of minutes, then it would be an immediate waste of a highly valuable draft pick.
There may be a hidden answer to this problem, and it was shown in the playoffs. To end the season, Quickley went down with plantar fasciitis in his right foot near the end of the regular season, and then, in the finale, he suffered a hamstring strain. Ultimately, the strain is what kept him out for the entire seven-game first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the 16 combined games where the former No. 25 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft was out near the end of the year, a new level of Barnes’ game was unlocked, and it may prove to be the future of the Raptors.
During that stretch when the Raptors were thin at point guard, Barnes took over the playmaking duties and absolutely thrived in that aspect. He went through a bit of a rut in scoring due to his heavy emphasis on finding his teammates for open looks, but now with a player who just averaged 27.9 points per game for the season, that won’t be the biggest demand.
Scottie Barnes had the 2nd most assists per game in the ENTIRE play-offs btw. He should be PG until there’s trades for a better PG. pic.twitter.com/oC9jOxjB7n
— ScoWhi KahTtie (@iiiToronto) July 5, 2026
If Barnes were to make a switch to point guard permanently, it would allow for the addition of third-year guard Ja’Kobe Walter to the starting lineup. While he isn’t the same caliber of player that Quickley is, Walter had the second-highest three-point percentage of any player since the All-Star break last season who made at least two threes per game (via StatMuse).
Having Quickley as the primary scorer off the bench could absolutely erase all bench-scoring issues. The former Kentucky Wildcat has proven that he is capable of incredible performances, as shown by the highest true shooting percentage in a 40-point game, which he achieved last season. Sharing the floor with Shead has the potential for a dynamic duo off the bench, and it distributes the minutes more evenly with Murray-Boyles playing more center and Graves sliding into the typical bench five-man lineup.
CRAZY — Immanuel Quickley had the most efficient 40+ point game in NBA History with 112.1% TS. 🤯🤯🤯
(via @PolymarketHoops) https://t.co/IxxYe2XGUbpic.twitter.com/qq0aRlNw19
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 21, 2026
