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We are just days away from the NBA regular season tipping off, and the Toronto Raptors’ depth chart has gone through some changes over the summer. Of course, Kawhi Leonard is in, and Brandon Ingram is out. Beyond that, there are mostly mainstays, with a few small changes. Before we get into what I think will happen, let’s go over what ESPN thinks Toronto’s depth chart is looking like heading into a brand new season.
The starting lineup sees only one change: Leonard replaces Ingram after they were traded for each other in the off-season. Leonard’s arrival raises expectations in Toronto, and the story with Kawhi will always be: can he stay healthy enough to be available in the playoffs? That is a story for another time. For now: Leonard is a starter, and expect him to play around 32 minutes a night, which is what he played last season.
If Darko elects to go for a 10-man rotation, the guaranteed three off the bench will be Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter, and Collin Murray-Boyles. Shead, Walter and CMB had great seasons last year, so they are obvious mainstays off the bench right now. All three are defensive monsters and integral to the team’s future. All three averaged between 20-22 minutes a game, and while that may remain the same for Walter and Shead, expect Murray-Boyles to jump into the 30s, in all likelihood. He is primed for a major breakout season, and while he may not start ahead of Jakob Poeltl when healthy, he will likely be receiving starter’s minutes from jump street.
Allen Graves is Toronto’s most recent first-round pick out of the 2026 NBA Draft and has fans excited for what he can bring to the table after a really impressive summer league outing a few months ago. He can shoot, and his defensive tendencies and strengths fit very nicely into the team’s priorities. He hits the glass, and he’s a strong passer. He has enough skills that Darko Rajakovic should look to get him into the rotation whenever possible. It likely won’t be a guaranteed spot, and it likely won’t be more than 10-15 minutes a night, but expect Graves to have a role to lose as the season tips off.
The 10th man would probably be Jamison Battle. (This is where ESPN really likely has it wrong.) He is a knockdown shooter, and with Leonard commanding more defensive attention than Ingram did last season, the Raptors are in dire need of shooting off the bench. Battle swung a playoff game and is surprisingly competent on the defensive end. Expect Battle to likely increase his 8.5 minutes per game from last season to 10-15, similar to Graves. And if Graves’ jumper isn’t ready, Battle can hoover up those minutes.
After Battle is Kyle Anderson. We’re now firmly in the list of players who are not guaranteed spots, but who will play when there’s an injury, foul trouble, or if someone falls out of the rotation due to poor play. Anderson is a veteran forward who’s entering his 13th season. He’s bounced around quite a bit, having already played for six franchises (Toronto will be the seventh). He’s always been a team-first guy who can defend and pass the ball, but the main issue for him is his lack of 3-point shooting, only a 34 percent shooter from beyond the arc in his career, and he attempted a career-low 0.3 attempts from three last season.
Then there’s last season’s trade deadline acquisition, Trayce Jackson-Davis, who’s had decent showings in pre-season and even last regular season, but he only offers a six-foot-nine build compared to Nate Bittle’s seven-foot build and ability to stretch the floor. For now, TJD is safe, as Bittle was recently converted to a two-way contract and is in a walking boot, but there’s a potential leapfrog situation there too later on in the season. It’s likely neither play real minutes to start the season.
Finally, the last three players off the bench are Malachi Smith, Alijah Martin and Jaden Bradley. Smith enters his second season after showcasing in 15 games for the Brooklyn Nets last season with some solid shooting numbers, where he shot 48 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3-point range. He’s on a two-way contract, so as of now he’s at the back of the depth chart and an emergency backup. Smith played very well in preseason, and he can shoot, so if the Raptors really lack skill there, he could get a shot eventually.
Bradley enters the NBA after a four-year college career where he averaged 9.7 points, 3.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game. A 23-year-old rookie who’s known for his defensive work will also be at the back of the depth chart. He didn’t play great in Summer League or preseason, and his handle especially doesn’t look NBA-ready.
Finally, Alijah Martin. A name Raptors fans recognize as the sophomore who only got 6 game appearances last season for the Raptors. Another guard who is known for his defensive work and his play was a huge reason why the Raptors 905 were so successful last season, as he averaged 18.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game on just below 50 percent shooting from the field and 41 percent from beyond the arc. He could grow into a Norman Powell-type player (if all goes perfectly), and his defensive tenacity, athleticism, and scoring punch are all valuable and real. He should likely get a shot at some point this year, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he ended up as the 10th or 11th man in the rotation, but that will need to be won. To start the season, he likely will be on the outside looking in, waiting for his chance.