We promise you that what we love most is talking about what happens on the floor. But reality keeps insisting on steering us toward what happens off of it.
Today we tackle the Kawhi Leonard topic and his ‘indefinite absence’. Every time he has missed multiple games without a serious injury or a glaring on-court incident being disclosed, we have debated between two options: load management or a serious warning to his knees.
The forward had arrived in Toronto in such splendid shape and came from another equally splendid season in Los Angeles (65 regular-season games played and seventh in MVP voting), that we were almost convinced this time it was the former.
To give him rest. Not to push him. To proceed with caution with their flagship player taking advantage of a deep roster and the Raptors firing on all cylinders.
Haynes Headlines: Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard (knee) is expected to be sidelined for at least 3-4 weeks, sources tell me. @NBATV https://t.co/nlbZ0IKizP
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 29, 2026
But no. In light of the latest reports from Chris Haynes, the knee issue was real. Because no one sits out for a month and risks losing their competitive edge when they are at full strength. Two days ago, Shams Charania spoke of a strong swelling in his left knee, and although the MRI did not show structural damage, the inflammation has proven to be serious enough for Kawhi to miss nearly a month from the rotation.
A Potent November
Among the Raptors’ most notable upcoming opponents in the coming weeks are the Lakers, Nuggets, Celtics, 76ers, Pistons, and a two-game set with the Knicks. If the timelines hold and he is back by early December, he will arrive for the big showdown between the Toronto Raptors and the San Antonio Spurs.
Until then, the load will fall on Barnes, Walter, Quickley and a R.J. Barrett who has started the campaign at a magnificent level, currently serving as the team’s leading scorer with 22 points, 6 rebounds, nearly 4 assists and more than 50% shooting from the field.
