Preseason in Vancouver: Raptors' Young Core Meets a Banged-Up Clippers Group

Toronto's youth movement gets a showcase against a Clippers team thinning by the day.

LAC @ TOR Oct 10, 2026 at 10:30 PM UTC

This preseason matchup in Vancouver arrives with both teams missing notable names, but the absences hit the Clippers harder in terms of rotation stability. Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss Toronto's first two preseason games, which would keep him out of this one. That removes the Raptors' marquee player, yet it also pushes minutes toward the players Toronto most wants to examine.

That is where the Raptors' preseason value lies. Collin Murray-Boyles, Ja'Kobe Walter, and Allen Graves are all candidates for substantial usage, so expect extended looks at Toronto's depth and development rather than a tightly managed veteran rotation. Scottie Barnes is the other thread to follow. With Leonard out, watching Barnes operate as a primary ball-handler offers a real test of whether he is ready to make a leap toward superstar status.

The Clippers' situation looks shakier. Brandon Ingram is sidelined with a partially torn Achilles and right heel surgery, with no clear return timeline, so his Clippers debut is delayed. Max Strus then exited the previous preseason game with a right foot injury, and his availability here is unclear. If he is out, Los Angeles will have even fewer proven perimeter options.

That could open the door for rookie Keaton Wagler, the No. 5 pick, who is coming off a 3-for-15 night against the Warriors, including 1-for-11 from three. More minutes could help him rebound, but a young player working through shooting struggles is not a dependable source of stability for a short-handed group.

Both teams are thin, but Toronto has more clarity in its plan and a deeper pool of young players eager for extended run. I give the Raptors a narrow edge in a sloppy, rotation-heavy preseason game: Raptors 111, Clippers 106.

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