Michael Grange

VANCOUVER — The greatest team in Toronto Raptors history was elevated to its ultimate peak by Kawhi Leonard.

VANCOUVER — Jamal Shead has seen Gradey Dick do some impressive things. There was the time his former Toronto Raptors teammate went off for 30 points in back-to-back games early in the 2024-25 season.

TORONTO — You can never knock Darko Rajakovic for his enthusiasm. The Toronto Raptors head coach is perpetually caffeinated, in both the literal and figurative sense.

The NBA pre-season doesn't mean much, but that doesn't mean it doesn't mean anything. The New York Knicks, fresh off their first championship in 53 years, aren't sweating October basketball.

The waiting is finally over. The Raptors host the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena to kick off the regular-season marathon.

Timing is everything in the NBA. For the Toronto Raptors, the overwhelming question is if their time is now.

TORONTO — In the NBA, individual warm-up slots are typically determined by seniority. In general, it's the younger players first.

But as far as the Raptors are concerned, these aren't the same Wizards. The Raptors have hopes of reaching great heights this season, but maintaining their dominance against the bottom third of the NBA will be just as important — and significantly more difficult.

Which is, in part, what made the Raptors' match-up with the much-improved Washington Wizards so interesting here in the early stages of the season.

That didn't take long. Hopefully it won't last. There was never a moment that trading for Kawhi Leonard didn't come packed with risk with