Toronto Raptors
After getting swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season, which marked the third straight season in which LeBron James and Cleveland had eliminated them, the Toronto Raptors need to make some changes this summer.
That much was clear.
However, after slow start to the offseason, it appeared that the Raptors were going to stay the course and run the season back with its current core. Then, it changed on a dime. In late July, the Raptors traded DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a 2019 first-round pick for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.
Toronto made it clear that they were going all-in on this season with Kawhi, and considering that LeBron James had just announced his decision to join the Los Angeles Lakers it made even more sense.
Led by Kawhi and Kyle Lowry, the Raptors will be the Celtics’ biggest threat in the Eastern Conference this season. And, if the script plays out as it is supposed to, we could have one epic Eastern Conference Finals in the near future.