The Toronto Raptors are coming off a 50-point win over the New York Knicks, however, there’s still plenty to watch as they continue preparing for the regular season.
Kawhi Leonard finally got back on the floor in a Raptors uniform, Trayce Jackson-Davis made the most of a brief opportunity, and Collin Murray-Boyles couldn’t seem to miss. Now, with New York up again, all three have something worth keeping an eye on.
1. Kawhi Leonard
It didn’t take long for Kawhi Leonard to remind Raptors fans what they were missing. In his first game in a Toronto uniform since the 2019 championship run, Leonard needed just 16 minutes to drop 21 points against the Knicks. He knocked down four three-pointers, grabbed five rebounds and came away with two steals. It was about as good a preseason debut as Toronto could have asked for.
What stood out wasn’t just the scoring. Leonard looked comfortable, got to his spots and made everything seem easy. If that’s a glimpse of what he can bring to this group, the Raptors have plenty of reason to be excited. The bigger question now is how much we’ll see him against Detroit. The Knicks will be hungry to come back from their beatdown, and they should start a better team. As long as Leonard stays healthy, it will be meaningful to watch him in that environment.
Leonard is still working his way back into game shape, and playing two games in a row could present a different challenge than making a single preseason appearance, making Leonard worth watching. After that first outing, it’ll be interesting to see how he builds on it.
2. Trayce Jackson-Davis
Trayce Jackson-Davis probably wasn’t the first name on anyone’s mind heading into Toronto’s game against the New York Knicks. However, he might be a little harder to overlook now. In roughly just 10 minutes, Jackson-Davis went a perfect 4-for-4 from the field, finishing with nine points, three rebounds, a steal and two blocks. It was a short appearance, but he made it count.
There is no kidding that the Raptors could use more of that. Toronto’s center depth remains a concern, particularly with Trey Jemison recently waived and Jakob Poeltl still carrying questions of his own. Jackson-Davis has a chance to make himself useful if he can give the Raptors reliable minutes off the bench.
That wasn’t really the case after Toronto acquired him at last season’s trade deadline. He appeared in just 17 games, averaging 1.8 points and 1.9 rebounds in 5.0 minutes per outing. He never found much of a role.
One preseason performance doesn’t suddenly change that, but it gives him a starting point. His finishing around the basket and ability to protect the rim could give Toronto another option behind Poeltl if he can keep producing. The challenge against Detroit is simple: Can he do it again? Another solid outing would give the coaching staff more reason to consider what he could offer once the games start counting.
3. Collin Murray-Boyles
Both of his threes came off the dribble, giving Raptors fans another reason to be curious about how his offensive game develops. Creating his own shot could become an important weapon if he can make it a consistent part of his game.
There is still work to do. Murray-Boyles shot 34.0 percent from three last season on just 0.9 attempts per game. The percentage is encouraging, but the volume was low, and one preseason performance isn’t enough to know whether he’s ready to take on a bigger shooting role. That’s what makes this matchup interesting.
Against Detroit, watch what happens when he gets an open look from beyond the arc. Does he let it fly with confidence? Can he create another shot off the dribble? And can he put together another strong offensive night? The Knicks game was a great start. Now he has a chance to show it wasn’t a one-off.
