TITLE: Ingram Cleared for Camp as Raptors Weigh Tax Position and Manage Expectations
SLUG: ingram-cleared-raptors-luxury-tax-expectations-pelley
CONTENT:
Brandon Ingram will enter the Toronto Raptors’ 2025 training camp without restrictions, according to general manager Bobby Webster. The forward, obtained from New Orleans in a mid-season deal, never suited up last year because of an ankle injury.
“He’s one of those rare players who can manufacture an efficient shot at any time,” Webster told reporters. “A three-level scorer who just loves basketball.” Webster added that Ingram’s single-minded approach to the game reminds him of former Raptor Kawhi Leonard.
Luxury-tax line in sight
Toronto opens camp slightly above the NBA’s luxury-tax threshold. Webster said it would be “not difficult” to slide under if needed, but ownership is prepared to remain over the line should the club contend. “If we’re competitive, the financial piece isn’t a hurdle,” he noted. Webster also predicted roster movement before season’s end, calling the odds of finishing with the same group “probably zero.”
Tempered goals after 30-win season
Following last year’s 30-win finish, Webster declined to set a playoff mandate. He stressed daily improvement for a young roster rather than targeting a specific win total or seed.
Outside observers see a wide range of possible outcomes. Eric Koreen of The Athletic wrote that Toronto could emerge as one of the league’s surprise stories, though the roster’s ceiling remains unclear. Michael Grange of Sportsnet pointed to three-point accuracy and the health of center Jakob Poeltl—Toronto’s lone starting-caliber big man—as critical swing factors.
Pelley brings Ryder Cup experience to MLSE
Keith Pelley, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, said lessons from managing Europe’s last four Ryder Cup teams will inform the culture he hopes to build for both the Raptors and the NHL’s Maple Leafs. “My role is to be a sounding board and create chemistry that leads to championships,” Pelley explained, while leaving day-to-day basketball and hockey decisions to sport-specific executives.
Source: HoopsRumors
