Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
The Raptors are heading into the 2026-27 season with expectations that feel a lot different from where they were a year ago.
If the Kawhi Leonard deal gets finalized, Toronto will have another established star alongside Scottie Barnes and a team that should have its eyes on the Eastern Conference.
That also means the margin for error gets smaller. Some players will have more to prove than others. Pressure ramps up accordingly. Here are the three Raptors I think enter the season with the most pressure on them.
3. RJ Barrett
RJ Barrett has made it pretty clear that he wants to stay in Toronto. That’s not exactly surprising. The Mississauga native finally got his first taste of playoff basketball with his hometown team, and he has proven that he could be an important part of the Raptors’ core.
However, his contract situation makes this season an interesting one. Barrett is entering the final year of his deal, and Toronto has yet to give him an extension. The Raptors don’t necessarily need to rush into one, but that means Barrett has a full season to make his case.
If Leonard is in Toronto, the pressure facing Barrett will be even higher. Leonard’s history of load management means there will inevitably be nights when someone else has to carry the scoring load.
He’s at his best attacking the rim, getting downhill and putting pressure on opposing defences. With Barnes and Leonard commanding plenty of attention, there should still be opportunities for him to do exactly that.
And if he doesn’t succeed while getting knocked down the pecking order, expect a lot of questioning. Barrett has not been a stranger to deadline rumours in the past, even while playing for Toronto. But now the Raptors have finally anted up, and that’s when smoke often turns into fire.
2. Jakob Poeltl
The Raptors don’t really have a choice here. They’re going into the season with Jakob Poeltl, and they need him to be better.
Poeltl is coming off one of the roughest seasons of his career. He appeared in just 46 games while dealing with back problems, the fewest games he’s played in a season.
When he was on the floor, his production dipped. Poeltl averaged 10.7 points, seven rebounds and two assists, all down from his previous numbers. His rebounding was particularly concerning. He reached double-digit rebounds just nine times all season. That’s not the Poeltl Toronto needs.
The Raptors were even exploring whether they could move him in a potential deal for Sacramento Kings’ Domantas Sabonis, but ultimately found no team willing to take on Poeltl’s contract for what he was producing.
Now Toronto needs a bounce-back year. Especially when considering that there’s not much insurance behind him. Collin Murray-Boyles can play centre, but that’s not his natural position. He’s an undersized, versatile forward who can switch defensively, rather than a traditional rim-protecting five.
For Poeltl, the pressure is pretty simple: stay healthy and look like the player Toronto thought it was getting when it committed to him.
1. Immanuel Quickley
If you’ve been waiting for the Immanuel Quickley breakout in Toronto, this feels like the season where it needs to happen. Even Zach Lowe recently included Quickley on his list of players facing the most pressure heading into next season.
Quickley hasn’t been able to establish himself as the player Toronto envisioned when it acquired him. He didn’t even play in the playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers, with Toronto instead leaning heavily on Jamal Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter.
The Raptors need the version of Quickley they thought they were getting when they acquired him in the OG Anunoby trade: a guard who can score 16-to-18 points, shoot from three, play off the ball, create for others and push the pace.
If Leonard is in Toronto, like mentioned before, there will be nights when he isn’t playing. The Raptors will need someone else who can create offence, and Quickley’s shooting and passing could become especially important on those nights.
Quickley isn’t being asked to become the team’s No. 1 option. That’s not the point. He’s being asked to become really good at his role and do it consistently. For a Raptors team with bigger ambitions this season, that’s a pretty important distinction.