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NBA Season Preview 2018-19: Every team’s best case scenario

By John Hugar

SHANGHAI, CHINA - OCTOBER 08: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with Andre Iguodala #9 of the Golden State Warriors during the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors as part of 2017 NBA Global Games China at Mercedes-Benz Arena on October 8, 2017 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Zhong Zhi/Getty Images)
SHANGHAI, CHINA - OCTOBER 08: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with Andre Iguodala #9 of the Golden State Warriors during the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors as part of 2017 NBA Global Games China at Mercedes-Benz Arena on October 8, 2017 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Zhong Zhi/Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – JULY 20 – An employee at Real Sports Apparel inside Scotiabank Arena hangs up Kawhi Leonard basketball jerseys for sale to the public. Earlier, Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri talked to the media during a press conference about the DeMar DeRozan-Kawhi Leonard trade. July 20, 2018. Bernard Weil/Toronto Star (Bernard Weil/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – JULY 20 – An employee at Real Sports Apparel inside Scotiabank Arena hangs up Kawhi Leonard basketball jerseys for sale to the public. Earlier, Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri talked to the media during a press conference about the DeMar DeRozan-Kawhi Leonard trade. July 20, 2018. Bernard Weil/Toronto Star (Bernard Weil/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /

Toronto Raptors

Just when the dream looked over, they get Kawhi Freaking Leonard! It might be a one-year rental, but for the time being, Raptors fans have a lot to be stoked about. DeRozan will go down as one of the best Raptors ever, but Kawhi is pretty much better than him at everything. If he buys into this system — and he’s saying all the right things so far — this team could be insane. He’s going to fit in so well. The offense will so fluid! The defense will be so stifling! I’m still not sure if they can win a series against the Celtics!

Yeah, the post-LeBron East, while still the inferior conference by a fair bit, will be pretty compelling nonetheless, at least the top. The Raptors add a top-five-if-healthy player, while the Celtics might be able to credibly claim a Big 5. I’ll say the ceiling for the Raptors is a Finals appearance, and just-happy-to-be-here loss to the Warriors in five, with the potential for greater things if Kawhi buys in, and decides to spend his prime in Toronto.