Why Kawhi Leonard's Toronto Raptors Could Win it All or Fail... | NBA Teams With Biggest Outcomes

September 8, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Toronto Raptors have spent the last few seasons in a strange middle ground—good enough to compete, but not quite good enough to contend. That changes this year with the addition of Kawhi Leonard, who arrives via trade from the Clippers after a season in which he averaged a career-high in scoring and played 65 games. But as the hosts of Locked On NBA Game Night discuss, the Raptors represent one of the league's widest outcome swings: they could make the NBA Finals, or they could end up fighting for a play-in spot.

The Kawhi Swing

The entire Raptors season hinges on one question: is Kawhi Leonard still Kawhi Leonard? He is 35 years old with a long injury history, and the Clippers era never fully worked out. But last year he was excellent, and the Raptors are betting that he can be the closer who takes pressure off Scotty Barnes. "If you're missing Kawhi, the margin for error becomes so much thinner," one host notes. The Raptors already had a top-10 defense last season and were top-five in creating turnovers. Adding Kawhi should improve that unit, and if the offense also clicks—they were 13th last year—they could have a top-10 offense and defense simultaneously.

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What you'll learn

1 (01:05) **Show Introduction & Topic Setup** - Hosts Dick Angston and Camille Davis introduce the concept of teams with the highest range of outcomes—teams that could either surprise everyone or fall apart.
2 (02:47) **Toronto Raptors: Championship Ceiling or Play-In Floor?** - The hosts debate the Raptors' massive variance, from a potential NBA Finals run to fighting for a play-in spot.
3 (05:56) **Raptors' Offensive and Center Concerns** - The conversation shifts to specific potential weaknesses that could limit the Raptors' ceiling.
4 (09:59) **Milwaukee Bucks: The Taylor Jenkins Factor** - The hosts pivot to the Bucks, who lost Giannis Antetokounmpo but have a deep, interesting roster.
5 (14:36) **Bucks' Key Players and Contract Dynamics** - The discussion focuses on which players will determine the Bucks' success and the tricky roster management.
6 (17:15) **Utah Jazz: A Surprise Playoff Team?** - The hosts argue the Jazz could jump from tanking to a legitimate playoff spot.
7 (19:49) **Washington Wizards: The Biggest Swing of All** - The Wizards, adding Trae Young and Anthony Davis, are presented as the team with the most extreme range of outcomes.

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Show Notes

Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit, Locked On Mavs) & Camille Davis (@CamilleMonae, Locked On Bucks) break down the Toronto Raptors' massive range of outcomes as the Kawhi Leonard trade looms, weighing Scottie Barnes' rise against Toronto's thin center depth behind Jakob Poeltl. The hosts then turn to the Milwaukee Bucks, exploring how new coach Taylor Jenkins could unlock a deep, star-less roster built around Tyler Herro and Myles Turner. They dig into why the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards — both bottom-five teams a year ago — might have the talent to leap into the playoff picture behind Keyonte George, Darryn Peterson, Trae Young, and a (hopefully) healthy Anthony Davis. The episode wraps with the hosts reacting to the LA Clippers' continued silence following the NBA's punishment and debating a hypothetical Jaylen Brown-for-LaMelo Ball trade framework involving Rudy Gobert.

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