5 reasons the Toronto Raptors may actually be better without Kawhi Leonard
By Nate Friesen
4. Everyone got better
With the absence of Kawhi Leonard, it seems as though every single Raptors player has thrived in a bigger role this season. Siakam took the leap to be an All-Star starter, Lowry has been more consistent, Fred VanVleet took a huge step toward looking like a future All-Star point guard, the list goes on and on.
More from Hoops Habit
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
- NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers
With Kawhi out of the picture, guys on the Toronto Raptors have been getting a lot more opportunity and they are all taking advantage of it. If Kawhi would have stayed I don’t think we would have seen the same improvement from players like Siakam and VanVleet. We also probably wouldn’t have seen the breakout season of Terence Davis who is going to be an important piece for the Toronto Raptors in the future.
There is something to be said about the way this Raptors team has rallied as a group to prove that they are formidable defending champions even without Kawhi Leonard. The level of confidence and swagger this team brings every night is unmatched and could be a real advantage in the playoffs.
Improvement across the roster this season has only increased the confidence this team has and if the Toronto Raptors are fully healthy and they meet the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals, that series would be an absolute war.
While the Bucks got the best of the Raptors on Tuesday night, the Raptors were without Marc Gasol and Norman Powell… things could be a lot different if these guys are healthy. Especially because of the way Gasol opens up the driving lane for Siakam and company.