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Contenders and Pretenders: Making sense of the NBA’s crowded field

By Joseph Birdsall

NBA Toronto Raptors Kawhi Leonard(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
NBA Toronto Raptors Kawhi Leonard(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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NBA Toronto Raptors Kyle Lowry . (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Notable Exclusions: Toronto Raptors

It is no secret why the defending champion Toronto Raptors are excluded from this list. Losing Kawhi Leonard in free agency means that this squad is headed for a full-scale rebuild with 2019 Most Improved Player Pascal Siakam looking like a potential franchise centerpiece.

Despite Leonard’s short stay in Toronto, Raptors fans surely would not trade his lone season with the team and the title that accompanied it for the not-quite-good-enough teams led by Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.

While this is still a talented roster, it lacks a star, and many key pieces such as Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka may be on the move when the trade deadline comes around. The Raptors had a historic season in 2018-19, and it should be a surprise if they take a step back this year.

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