Toronto Raptors Continue to Rise in Latest NBA Power Rankings

• Toronto Raptors Continue to Rise in Latest NBA Power Rankings

Garret SchnitkerThu, Jul 9, 2026·3 min read

With the NBA free agency period all but wrapped up, outside of all-time leading scorer LeBron James’ decision, the Toronto Raptors have solidified themselves as one of the league’s top teams. After trading for seven-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard for the second time, the Raptors will no longer be content with their first-round exit, as they had this year against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Outside of the two-time Finals MVP, no major changes have been made. Toronto lost backup forward Sandro Mamukelashvili to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency and replaced him with veteran forward Kyle Anderson. General manager Bobby Webster also drafted Santa Clara forward Allen Graves in the first round, rounding out the very full position group, but not providing help in the point guard or center departments.

It was clear to the opposing franchises around the NBA what Toronto was building. The Raptors were a young, gritty team centered on tenacious, aggressive defense, carried by the isolation offense of RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram. With Leonard replacing Ingram, Barrett expected to take another leap as he did last season, and, of course, the continued rise of Scottie Barnes on both ends, this team is expected to be somewhat of a contender right away.

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This notion is accepted by many, as represented in Bleacher Report’s latest power rankings.

After the crazy commotion that came in the first wave of free agency, the Raptors are ranked ninth in the NBA and fifth in the Eastern Conference. Ahead of them are the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Miami Heat, Jaylen Brown-less Boston Celtics, reigning No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons, and reigning champion New York Knicks.

The fifth seed seems like a reasonable position for the Raptors to be projected at this point. There is a substantial amount of pressure placed on Leonard to perform, and the inconsistencies of Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl have been left unresolved. However, the potential growth for Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Ja’Kobe Walter could prove to be enough to push the Raptors into the upper echelon of teams.

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There really is no telling how the East will play out this season. Of course, the Knicks and Pistons are expected to be great, but nearly everyone else has a wide range of where they could finish. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, and Atlanta Hawks could plateau with similar lineups to last year, or they could continue on their ascension like the Knicks.

The Celtics, Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and Washington Wizards will all be looking to make big strides with new additions. Finally, the Charlotte Hornets and Indiana Pacers are bringing back similar cores with tweaks, looking to make a statement this season. That’s 12 total teams, including the Raptors, looking and expected to win games, so once October comes, let the pandemonium begin.