The Boston Celtics may have reshaped their team after trading Jaylen Brown, but their aspirations haven't changed in the slightest. They are still as high as ever, but they are not alone. They'll have to get through plenty of tough competitors to get back to where they were, but one of their projected threats might not be there: Toronto.
The Raptors made the playoffs last season and decided to strike while the iron is hot by getting Kawhi Leonard back, but in recent weeks, it's come out that the trade is on hold until the NBA completes its investigation of Leonard's ongoing scandal with Aspiration.
It's gotten even worse, as it's now come out that the investigation "has grown in scope."
The NBA's Aspiration x Kawhi Leonard investigation has grown in scope.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 14, 2026
The company discussed using Leonard in a marketing campaign, according to multiple former employees who spoke with The Athletic.
Those efforts went so far as to include mockups depicting Leonard as an… pic.twitter.com/xopVfGebyY
Even before the Leonard trade went through, the NBA taking as long as they have on this investigation is making it easier that this is bad. No one knows if the trade will be voided, but it's solid enough to believe Leonard could get suspended indefinitely for this.
If the Raptors are hesitant to pull the trigger on this, it also means they're not confident Kawhi will be unscathed from this. If that's the case, Boston doesn't have much to worry about from Toronto. They swept their regular season series 4-0, with three of those games without Jayson Tatum. One of them was without either of the Jays.
With Leonard, they are a much bigger threat. He's not at his peak, but he's still an awesome player. If he's not there, Boston has little reason to be worried.
That is, for now, the Raptors wouldn't be a threat
For what it's worth, all indications are that Leonard will be a Raptor one way or the other. The trade may be voided and he may be suspended, but his interest in re-joining them will probably lead to him re-joining them down the line if and when his punishment ends.
But who knows how long that will take? If Leonard is suspended for an entire season, that's a big deal because he's in his mid-30s. The clock is ticking on his prime, which he's already falling out of. He would make the Raptors better, but by how much, and for how long? We haven't even mentioned his, ahem, lengthy injury rap sheet.
Toronto was a nice story, like Boston was, but missing that one special player prohibits them from taking that next step. It makes sense why they went after Leonard again, but if this deal falls through, and him going to the team takes time, they simply aren't on the Celtics level.
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