The Raptors Have to Improve in Rebounding Next Season

The Toronto Raptors are making some changes to their roster for the upcoming season, but they're also confident in the team's direction.

The Raptors are in need of some size, but they haven't acquired anyone this offseason that stands taller than 6-9. That could come back to bite them in the long run.

NBA.com contributor John Schuhmann pointed out that the team doesn't have much size to compete with other teams in the NBA for the upcoming season. While they could force teams to play smaller, other squads might set the tone and flip it on the Raptors if they have a dominant big man.

The Raptors struggled mightily on the glass in the playoffs, and they haven't clearly improved in that stat at this point in the offseason.

Raptors Relying on Forwards to Play Big

Toronto Raptors 2026 first round draft pick Allen Graves poses courtside with head coach Darko Rajakovic. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Raptors could have selected a center with the 19th overall pick, but they instead selected Allen Graves, a 6-9 forward who might be playing some small-ball five for Toronto in his rookie season. Graves is expected to replace Sandro Mamukelashvili, who signed a four-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency, as the team's backup big man behind Poeltl.

There were other center options on the board at that point in the round. Jayden Quaintance, a 6-10 big man from Kentucky, went with the very next pick to the San Antonio Spurs. Six picks later, UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. was selected, and he also went to the Spurs. Chris Cenac Jr., a 6-11 big man from Houston, went No. 27 overall to the Boston Celtics. All of those players were on Toronto's radar at one point, but the Raptors opted for Graves instead.

Graves fits a similar build to that of Collin Murray-Boyles, Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard. All of them are switchable on defence, giving the Raptors a lot of versatility to work with. However, they could struggle against teams with strong centres that dominate them on the glass, just like the Cleveland Cavaliers did with Jarrett Allen in their playoff series.

The Raptors are close. They have the tools to be a playoff team, but the difference in them going from a first-round exit to a serious contender could be one piece away. And a big man could solve some problems.

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