Toronto Raptors
Can Pascal Siakam take a more active role with Kawhi Leonard gone?
The Toronto Raptors couldn’t have been all that surprised with Kawhi Leonard announced that he would be signing with the Clippers during the offseason. For the most part, he was always viewed as a rental for the team and he delivered on the biggest of stages. If you remember, the Raptors are still the defending champions until someone knocks them off. Still, it won’t feel like that way on opening night.
The Raptors have some big shoes to fill, and I’m not sure they have anyone on the roster that can do so. If there’s one player that could possibly take the first step in doing so, though, it’s Pascal Siakam, who is coming off a breakout season in 2018-19. The big question for the Raptors this season is whether or not Siakam can take it to the next level this season.
If he can, there’s a good chance that the Raptors can remain relevant in the Eastern Conference. I don’t think anyone would be considering them as the favorite to emerge from the East, but this team could make some noise in the playoffs if Siakam can emerge as a real leader.