The Good, Bad and Ugly of the Raptors Offseason So Far

The Toronto Raptors are one of the teams driving the major storylines of the offseason as they look to improve their roster from its first-round exit in the spring.

The members of the Toronto Raptors On SI staff gave their thoughts on what worked this offseason and what needs to be improved upon.

The Good: Signing Kyle Anderson is a Good Move

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson controls the ball in the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Raptors signed Kyle Anderson to a one-year deal this offseason, giving the team some experience in the frontcourt. Anderson played for head coach Darko Rajakovic when he was an assistant for the Memphis Grizzlies.

"They continue to build on the prototypical players that fit in the Raptors’ vision.

"Re-upping on veteran presence with Kyle Anderson should help guide the Raptors’ young bench. The only area they have not addressed yet is the immediate point guard depth, which could still be a priority once the dust settles with the investigation." — Josh Elijah Nitsopoulos

The Bad: Not Addressing the Centre Position Enough

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl during warm up before game three. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Raptors still only have one player that stands over 6-9 in Jakob Poeltl. Nate Bittle was added on an Exhibit 10 deal, but his spot on the roster is not guaranteed for the regular season.

"With the signing of Kyle Anderson, and the selection of Allen Graves in the draft the Raptors added two solid rotation pieces to their front court. If the Kawhi Leonard trade ends up going through then this can be even better, but I still would have liked to see them add another centre who can match up with Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns." — Rocco Moschella

The Ugly: The Kawhi Leonard Saga Has No End in Sight

Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos defends Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Raptors could find themselves in hot water if the Kawhi Leonard trade doesn't go through. While the Raptors anticipate a resolution coming between now and the start of the regular season, it is far from a guarantee.

"The Raptors could have made this an offseason for the books if the Leonard trade was signed, sealed, and delivered. Unfortunately for the Raptors, they only got past the negotiation stage, but they felt a snag when it reached the league office, who paused the deal due to the league's ongoing investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers allegedly circumventing the salary cap.

"The Raptors are operating as though the deal will be made eventually, but the latest update suggests that the investigation may not be complete until 2027. That would be bad news for both the Raptors and the Clippers, who have a public deal out in the open and would have to welcome their players back after moving on from them.

"If this trade doesn't go through for the Raptors, they will face significant consequences as they would have basically wasted an entire offseason on a move that didn't even happen. The Eastern Conference is gaining strength in numbers, so the Raptors could struggle as a team that remained mostly stagnant versus other opponents like the Philadelphia 76ers that made major moves." — Jeremy Brener

The Raptors have to sit and wait for the Leonard trade to come to a resolution, which will allow them to make their next move. They wait in limbo, but they appear confident in being able to bring Leonard back to Toronto.

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