Kawhi's return, 6 other takeaways from Raptors training camp

QUEBEC CITY - For the first time since their last trip to Quebec seven years ago, when the then-defending champions were adjusting to life without Kawhi Leonard, the Toronto Raptors opened training camp with championship aspirations.

Leonard's return has dominated headlines, but the two-time Finals MVP is just one of many stories to emerge from the Raptors' week in La Belle Province.

Here are the biggest takeaways and observations from the team's camp.

Who is this guy?

The biggest talking point of training camp was how engaged and enthusiastic Leonard was.

The 15-year veteran spent the majority of his career building an off-court reputation of mystique, deadpan interviews, and inaccessibility. That's what has made the new version of Leonard so jarring. He was positively beaming on media day and cracking jokes with reporters. He stole the microphone from assistant coach-turned-emcee Jama Mahlalela during the team's intrasquad scrimmage in front of Quebec City fans. He laughed while dominating head coach Darko Rajakovic in an impromptu post-practice game of one-on-one. It was the type of interaction the old Leonard wouldn't have been eager to let the media witness.

Even before being reintroduced to local media, Leonard became far more active on social media this summer and was an enthusiastic collaborator with the Raptors' content team. It's a stark contrast to the last time Toronto acquired him, when fans had to parse through minimal content to get any type of read on the superstar.

The cynical explanation for all of this would be that, in the aftermath of a cap-circumvention scandal that stole the spotlight for over a year, Leonard is simply doing damage control. However, Leonard himself said the perspective he's gained during the latter stage of his career is what's sparked his increased online presence.

"Probably being four or five years away from walking away, I just want to show people who I really am because you get so many narratives out there. People don't know me," Leonard told theScore. "I'm just having fun with it. I'm just creating content and wanting to share stories with children. In the future, you'll see more of me trying to share the passion of basketball and craftsmanship stories."

Leonard later told reporters that the lighthearted version of him displayed throughout the week is who he's always been, even if he rarely gave the public a glimpse.

"I learned to come to work and just lock in and focus," Leonard said. "If you see me on the basketball court - preparing for practice, games, after games - for the most part, I'm dialed in. I'm trying to stay even-keeled and not let emotions override my play. You hear a lot of guys saying how great of a guy I am or what my personality's like (outside of) basketball. You're just starting to see it now. It's not like I'm changing or doing anything different. I'm being myself."

Kawhi's ramping up

On the court, Leonard took part in team drills throughout the week, but he was held out of live contact and missed the team's preseason opener against Miami. Rajakovic explained that there's nothing to worry about and that the team is simply managing Leonard's return after he couldn't take part in team activities while waiting for the trade to be finalized.

"We've got to be smart about how we're going to build him (up)," Rajakovic said. "Obviously, he missed quite a bit of time being around our team and our team setup. So, definitely, he needs time to ramp up and get ready."

Rajakovic later added that while Leonard is unlikely to play in the Raptors' next preseason game (against the Clippers in Vancouver), they're hoping to get him into the lineup soon after. That leaves three preseason games in which Leonard could play.

"We're just taking our time to ramp up," Leonard said. "I wasn't able to do much (with the team) with the trade in a holding pattern. I've been going up and down (at practice). It's just like a minutes restriction, in a sense, but coming soon, I'll be able to be fully active."

Leonard played 65 games last season after averaging only 52 in the first three years following a knee injury that wiped out his 2021-22 campaign. He's aiming to be even more available this year, including into the postseason.

"I played 65 (games) last year, so hopefully this year I can play more and even build on that, adding games in the playoffs and making that a long run as well," Leonard said.

RJ's contract year

RJ Barrett is saying all the right things about not sweating the lone year remaining on his contract and not letting it become a distraction. However, it is a story, and it will likely cause the Canadian wing's name to be a fixture in trade speculation throughout the season.

For now, the focus is on Barrett's value to this group, where his offensive versatility should serve as a key release valve for Leonard and All-Star forward Scottie Barnes. Barrett's defensive shortcomings should be better masked on a team featuring Leonard, Barnes, and sophomore big man Collin Murray-Boyles, while his offensive role can scale up when Leonard is out of the lineup.

"That's the beauty and luxury of having RJ Barrett. He's so diverse offensively," Rajakovic told theScore. "He's elite in transition. He plays off of his teammates and is a great cutter. He does a great job of getting in the (passing) window to get an open shot. He just has a great feel to play off the ball. And then when he's on the ball, in pick-and-roll or iso situations, he brings a lot of value."

The head coach also noted that the Raptors view Barrett's tremendous postseason play last spring as a sustainable benchmark going forward.

"The way we saw him play in the playoffs - the tenacity he brought on the defensive end, the rebounding, the ability to create his own shot, and the ability to playmake for his teammates - I think it was amazing, and we don't expect anything less from him this season."

After averaging 19.3 points on career-high efficiency during the regular season, Barrett averaged 24 points, seven rebounds, and four assists during Toronto's first-round series loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"I don't think it's anything too different from what I was asked (to do) last year," Barrett said of his role on the new-look Raptors. "There are ebbs and flows to the season - injuries, whatever lineup changes and everything - so you've just got to be prepared, day in and day out, for whatever is asked."

Raptors happy to have Shead long term

One guy who did leave camp with a contract extension was backup point guard Jamal Shead. The 2024 second-round pick, who will earn roughly $2.3 million this season, recently signed a three-year, $24-million extension that includes a team option in Year 3.

Shead's a solid reserve guard. He's a smart two-way player, a good playmaker, and a tough competitor who plays much bigger than his 6-foot-1 frame. At less than 5% of the salary cap for the foreseeable future, Shead's contract should return great value for Toronto, doubly so if his 3-point shot ever comes around.

"If you can play defense, you can get on the floor. I knew that I could do that," Shead told theScore. "The offensive side is gonna come, but I know for sure I can guard and I'm good enough to play the defensive side in this league."

On the offensive end, he's trying to look for his own shot more when getting to the rim, as opposed to being too passive and "readable."

Ask any of Shead's teammates and coaches about him, and though they'll praise his "dawg" factor on the court, they speak highest of him as a person off the floor.

"He's just a great guy. He kind of connects the whole group. He's really the heart and soul of the team," Barrett said. He also commented that Shead is following the blueprint of franchise icon Kyle Lowry, who will have his jersey retired by the Raptors on Jan. 10.

"We all love (Shead)," Barrett added. "He's just a hard-working guy, a tough guy. He comes to work every single day and you know what to expect from him."

Shead may also be the first professional athlete to describe the financial offer he received as "Really fair, honestly. Above fair." The 24-year-old is clearly humble and refreshingly self-aware, but his extension has the potential to be quite team-friendly.

A new-look CMB

Murray-Boyles was impressive as a rookie and tremendous in the playoffs, but Rajakovic and the team wanted the big man to return in even better shape. He was clearly up to the challenge, as Murray-Boyles' noticeably leaner physique was one of the major talking points during the start of Raptors camp.

The 21-year-old made a daily habit of running three-to-six miles per day during the offseason, which got him off (video) games, got the nature-lover outside, and allowed him to see more of the places he visited.

"I definitely feel it," Murray-Boyles said of the physical benefits. "Obviously with running, I lost a lot of body fat, so I can feel the explosiveness more now. I feel more bouncy and more energetic. It's been very, very beneficial so far."

Murray-Boyles also worked on his 3-point shot, with an emphasis on repetition rather than mechanical changes.

"Just getting a ton of (shooting) reps. I feel like that was the biggest thing," he said. "My shot wasn't broken. I just didn't shoot (last season)." To his point, Murray-Boyles shot 34% on 0.9 3-point attempts per game last season, then went 0-of-3 from deep in seven playoff games.

Darko wants more threes

Murray-Boyles' commitment to getting more threes up reflects a team-wide approach.

Rajakovic said the Raptors must increase their 3-point volume and efficiency after finishing between 25th and 29th in 3-point attempt rate (3PA per FGA) in each of his three seasons at the helm.

"We have a plan in place," Rajakovic said. "We're going to work on our spacing. We're going to work on getting a lot of reps and putting the right guys in the right situations. Obviously, the addition of a guy like Kawhi, who's already a prolific 3-point shooter, should help with that."

He went on to explain how a renewed focus on shooting more threes could come at the expense of shot quality.

"We were really focusing in the past on getting more ball movement, cuts, and really wide-open shots," Rajakovic added. "Some of those shots are going to be contested. They might not be the best look, but we need to get more threes (up) for sure. We've got to work on that."

Under Rajakovic, the Raptors have ranked 10th, fourth, and 16th in expected effective field-goal percentage based on their shot profiles, per Cleaning The Glass. However, they've also ranked 24th, 26th, and 15th in offensive efficiency during his tenure.

Starting point guard Immanuel Quickley said a significant point of emphasis for him and the rest of the team is creating more paint pressure to open up additional 3-point looks elsewhere.

The challenge for Rajakovic and Co. is that even though Leonard is a better and more willing 3-point shooter than Brandon Ingram, Toronto is down 130 made threes from last season as a result of replacing Ingram, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Gradey Dick with Leonard and Kyle Anderson.

Rajakovic joked that it will be on everyone except starting center Jakob Poeltl to get more threes up. Speaking of Poeltl ...

Raps need a healthy Poeltl

A combination of declining impact, back issues, and a mammoth contract have made Poeltl a magnet for criticism over the last year, but it's easy to forget how valuable the big man was when healthy.

An elite offensive rebounder and screen-setter, a positionally sound defensive player, and a heady playmaker, Poeltl was once a two-way force despite not having shooting range or eye-popping rim protection.

After an offseason in which Poeltl addressed his mobility and ailing back with a modified strength and conditioning program, the 31-year-old is expected to bounce back.

"After (last) season, we talked about the importance for him to change some of his routines and how he approaches his summer," Rajakovic said. "He took that to heart and he was very serious about it. He changed the way he was preparing back home in Austria, and he engaged some high-level people there that can help him, along with the guidance of people from our medical and performance (team).

"He put a lot of work into it, so he looks like himself. He looks like he's moving differently, like he's able to finish. He's such a smart basketball player and he's always in the right position, but the priority is his body. His body needs to feel right for him to be able to perform."

Added Barnes, "(Poeltl) helps us out in so many ways, with his vision, cutting, screening. We need Jak. We can't do it without Jak."

For what it's worth, Poeltl was certainly moving better and looking spry during Toronto's open scrimmage and preseason opener.

Joseph Casciaro is theScore's lead NBA reporter.