Toronto Raptors Get Concerning Kawhi Leonard Injury Update After Strong Start

The Toronto Raptors are going to have to wait a little longer to see what their reunion with Kawhi Leonard can become. Just three games into the 2026-27 season, the forward is expected to miss multiple weeks because of swelling in his left knee, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

There is some encouraging news for Toronto. An MRI showed no structural damage, Charania reported Tuesday, giving the Raptors reason to focus on treatment and rehabilitation rather than an identified structural injury. Still, the expected absence leaves the team without its most prominent offseason addition for a stretch of the early schedule.

Toronto confirmed Tuesday that Leonard will begin a treatment and rehabilitation program and be reevaluated in one week. The Raptors said via press release that medical imaging revealed “no acute injury,” according to NBA reporter Marc Stein.

The distinction matters for a Raptors team that had only just begun seeing Leonard back in its lineup. He scored 23 points with six rebounds and four steals in Toronto’s season-opening win over Chicago, then added 16 points and nine rebounds against Washington. The Raptors won both games, and Leonard averaged 19.5 points and 7.5 rebounds across his first two appearances.

His shooting was inconsistent, but Toronto still got an early look at the defensive impact it brought him back to provide. That momentum came to an abrupt stop Sunday, when Leonard was scratched roughly an hour before tipoff against Minnesota because of the knee swelling. The Raptors went on to lose 117-94.

According to Charania, Toronto intends to use the coming weeks to gradually build Leonard back up after interruptions to his offseason preparation. The cautious approach may help explain why the team is not rushing him back despite the absence of structural damage.

Leonard offered his own response Tuesday in a message shared on social media, acknowledging the frustration of missing time while making clear that his focus is on returning at full strength.

“I'm focused on getting back to 100,” Leonard wrote. “Toronto, I've appreciated the love since I've been back. Returning soon.”

For now, the Raptors will need other players to take on more responsibility. Ja’Kobe Walter started in Leonard’s place against Minnesota, while Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett are among those who could see larger offensive roles. Barnes' scoreless outing Sunday only sharpened the questions about how Toronto will manage when Leonard is unavailable.

The timing also puts early attention on the investment Toronto made to bring Leonard back. The Raptors signed him to a reported two-year, $115 million extension in September after acquiring him in an offseason trade that involved Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and multiple draft picks.

That commitment was made with the expectation that Leonard could help shape the team’s direction. His knee issue is still too early to draw broader conclusions from, particularly with imaging showing no structural damage, but the Raptors now face an immediate test of their depth.

Leonard is expected to be reevaluated in a week, and Toronto will have a better sense of his progress then. Until that update arrives, the team has to plan for an absence that could stretch across multiple weeks, rather than count on its returning star to be back for the next game.