Nothing can make up for losing an all-world talent like Kawhi Leonard. Especially not for a capped-out team who had to wait out the first week of free agency for their (former) star player’s decision.
The expected outcome for the Toronto Raptors is to be a middle-of-the-pack playoff team, one that team president Masai Ujiri will feel no guilt about weakening if he can find homes for his three largest expiring contracts: Kyle Lowry ($33.3m), Marc Gasol ($25.9m), and Serge Ibaka ($23.3m).
There are reasons to think all three will be plying their trade elsewhere by the deadline, but also reasons to believe they won’t.