I Kinda Love This Toronto Raptors Team

Don’t look now, but the Toronto Raptors are suddenly one of the most fun teams to watch in the NBA at the start of this young basketball season.

The Raptors currently have a record of 11–5 and hold the second seed in the Eastern Conference and have emerged as one of the most interesting teams in a conference turned upside down this year. With Tyrese Haliburton out for the year in Indiana and Jayson Tatum sidelined with an Achilles injury for the Celtics, who underwent major changes in the summer, the East is wide open—and Toronto looks like one of the teams that is looking to take advantage.

With Indiana and Boston out of the race for now, we expected the East to be unpredictable this season. Teams like the Knicks and Cavaliers were the favourites coming into the year, while other squads like the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, and Atlanta Hawks were talked about as potential sleeper picks, but the Raptors have become the true wild card.

In fact, I think there’s a realistic scenario where Toronto makes the Eastern Conference Finals. They may not be championship-ready, but they’re emerging as a team capable of very much surprising some people.

For years, I thought the Raptors’ roster construction was confusing—loaded with former top draft picks who seemed stylistically similar, with players like RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram, and Scottie Barnes, I wasn't sure these pieces could coexist. But this season, it’s working.

The role players have played a huge part as well, with guys like Grady Dick shaping into a reliable piece, Jakob Poeltl continuing to be a stabilizing defensive anchor, Immanuel Quickley being able to go off at any point, and even a guy like Jamal Shead having played his role to a tee.

Everyone just seemingly looks bought in, and that's thanks to head coach Darko Rajaković, who I owe an apology to.

When Darko was hired, I was skeptical, and through his first two seasons, I thought I was right. But he’s proven to be exactly what this young, developing roster needed. The Raptors’ energy, effort, and discipline have noticeably improved, and their performance in the NBA Cup has showcased just how hard they compete on a nightly basis.

Yes, the early schedule has been favourable—facing the Cavs without Garland and Mitchell and the Pacers, who look like a shell of themselves without Haliburton—but good teams capitalize on those moments. Toronto has done just that.

The Raptors have become the type of team opponents hate playing against. They're young, fast, athletic, and play with a high effort level every night. They may not be NBA Finals contenders yet, but they’re building a real identity and a culture that fans can get behind.

Toronto also has the assets to chase a star if they decide to accelerate their timeline. The Raptors are always seemingly linked to All-Star calibre players on the trade block, and possible targets could include a player like Ja Morant, if Memphis ever entertains a reset, or Anthony Davis, who Dallas could be looking to move off of. Or just any disgruntled star looking for a fresh start.

Even if no trade happens, the Raptors are clearly developing a foundation that can compete at the top of the East pretty soon.

This is Toronto’s best start since the 2019–2020 season, and it feels like the organization has finally turned the page from the post-championship years of inconsistency. They’re young, they’re fun, and for the first time in a while, they have genuine direction.

Raptors fans should feel excited—because this team is so much fun.