Toronto's 2019 title glow fades as payroll and questions mount. Ingram's looming $38M+ yearly price tag, Barnes's first big extension, and Grady Dick's uneven development shape a season of hard calls. The Raptors face an evaluation year while Knicks' Quickley and Barrett provide cross-team benchmarks, and Portland's Twin Towers experiment adds a contrasting roster arc. The path: contend with clarity or chase future lottery leverage.