Steve Nash sees Raptors’ potential with Kawhi Leonard, if health holds

Steve Nash believes the Toronto Raptors could be dangerous this season after adding Kawhi Leonard, according to a Canadian Press report published on October 20, 2026. Nash said the team’s prospects depend on staying healthy and finding a style of play that brings its players together.

Why Nash thinks Leonard changes Toronto’s options

Leonard gives Toronto a player who can be the focus of its offence or work without the ball while Scottie Barnes directs play, Nash told The Canadian Press. He also pointed to Leonard’s size, strength, rebounding and defence on the perimeter, alongside his scoring and ability to finish possessions late in games.

Nash sees more than one workable pace for the Raptors. He said they can play quickly, as they have at times, or slow down with Leonard creating space for teammates, whether he has the ball or not. The group still has work to do to come together, he said.

Health and cohesion remain the tests for the Raptors

Nash identified health as the first condition for the Raptors’ success and team cohesion as the second. He said Leonard, Barnes, RJ Barrett and the rest of Toronto’s rotation have the potential to be among the NBA’s best units if they find a suitable way to play together.

Other preseason assessments cited by The Canadian Press also placed Toronto among the stronger teams: Zach Lowe ranked the Raptors 11th, while ESPN ranked them 12th and estimated a 75.6% chance of making the playoffs. Those are projections for the coming season, rather than results.

Nash also expects stiff competition in the Atlantic Division. He pointed to the New York Knicks’ championship and changes to the Philadelphia 76ers’ roster, then said playoff success would depend on which teams are playing their best basketball and are healthy at that stage. Nash was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.