Predicting the Eastern Conference standings: Where will the Pacers finish?

7. Toronto Raptors

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The reigning NBA champion Toronto Raptors got much worse this summer despite only losing one key player, which drops them to #7 in these predictions.

However, when your one key departure is a player like Kawhi Leonard, you’re in trouble. It cannot be understated how crucial Kawhi was to this team a year ago. He had great pieces around him that led to their title run, sure. But there’s just no star power left on this team anymore.

Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol are aging, and with how long the team had to wait on Kawhi’s decision to ultimately bolt for the Clippers, every significant free agent was already off the table. This summer really couldn’t have been much worse if you’re a Raptors fan.

Still, guys like Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Fred VanVleet should still round this roster into a competitive one, just not a team that will be considered a championship contender again.