Kawhi Leonard’s early-season workload is already hitting a snag.
After logging only 23 to 27 minutes in Toronto’s first two games, Leonard is now set to miss his first game of the season Sunday because of left knee swelling, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet. He was productive in both Raptors wins, posting 23 points, six rebounds and four steals in just under 24 minutes in the opener before following that with 16 points, nine rebounds and three steals on 7-of-20 shooting in Friday’s victory over the Wizards.
Leonard had already signaled that easing back in after the long offseason would take time, and he said he didn’t want to force the process. For now, he’s focusing on making the most of the minutes he’s given.
Toronto is expected to turn to Ja’Kobe Walter in Leonard’s place against the Timberwolves, according to TSN’s Josh Lewenberg. Walter has averaged 8.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals in 23.5 minutes across the first two games, though he has yet to find his rhythm from deep.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division, the Sixers will be without VJ Edgecombe for Sunday night’s game against the Pistons after he was ruled out with an abdominal contusion, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Nick Nurse said the injury happened when Edgecombe took a knee to the midsection during Saturday’s game. He stayed in and played through it, but woke up the next day feeling a lot of soreness, according to Chris Hine of the Philly Inquirer.
In New York, Dalton Knecht is settling into a new opportunity after being waived by the Lakers and signing a two-way deal with the Knicks. Asked why he chose New York, Knecht said, “ It just felt like the best opportunity.
I talked to the coaching staff, known them for awhile, so it was good. Thought this would be a great fit, and I’m excited to be here, ” per SNY Knicks.
For now, the 25-year-old shooter is expected to begin his Knicks stint with the Westchester Knicks, their G League affiliate. Mike Brown said the biggest priority is getting Knecht on the floor, not keeping him parked on the bench in New York.
“ Obviously, right now he’s a two-way. We want him to play as much as he can.
He’ll play for Westchester, ” Brown said, per Edwards.
Brooklyn dropped its first two games, but Saturday’s loss to Cleveland offered a glimpse of what the Nets hope can become their long-term backcourt. Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr. combined to create three threes in a 47-second burst during their first NBA minutes together.
They shared the floor for only three minutes and 36 seconds, but head coach Jordi Fernandez said finding the right balance between developing that pairing and doing what’s best for the team isn’t simple, especially with Brown on a minutes restriction. “ If I’m just thinking about playing them together, I may not do what’s best for the group at the moment,” Fernandez said.
Demin liked what he saw, too: “ I can’t wait to spend more time with him on the court,” Demin said.
In Other News...
Nets Already Face A Frustrating Problem Three Games Into This Slide
The Nets rough stretch deepened with another lopsided loss, this time in Indianapolis, where the Pacers controlled the game with efficient offense and plenty of pace. Tyrese Haliburton orchestrated it with 24 points and 10 assists, helping Indiana shoot 58% from the field while the Pacers built their advantage in the second and third quarters.
For Brooklyn, the bigger concern may have come after the game started to get away from them. Ivica Zubac was removed from the contest with a left ankle sprain, leaving the Nets to wonder about the status of one of the interior pieces they can least afford to lose while this slide continues to snowball. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Already Face An Early Trust Problem Under Jordi Fernndez
Brooklyns season opened with the kind of uneven stretch that can test a new coachs message early, as the Nets dropped their first three games and spent much of that time chasing their own mistakes. Jordi Fernndez has already been pushing the same themes in the wake of back-to-back losses to Cleveland and Indiana, pointing to defensive lapses, shaky consistency and the need for better effort and execution as the group tries to find some traction.
The encouraging part is that Brooklyn at least showed some fight in nearly pulling back against Cleveland, which suggests the response is there when the focus sharpens. But the next game brought a different problem, and one the Nets cannot afford to let linger, because the same issues keep showing up in different forms and are beginning to raise an early trust question around how quickly this roster can absorb Fernndezs demands. [Read more 🡒]
Nolan Traor Is Making Brooklyns Backcourt Decision More Interesting
Nolan Traor has made Brooklyns early backcourt picture a little more interesting with the kind of all-around showing that sticks in a coachs mind. In a recent loss, the guard put up a team-high 17 points and did a little of everything, blending shot-making with playmaking and defensive activity after also showing growth last season and carrying that into a solid preseason.
As the Nets get healthier in the backcourt, the real question is not whether Traor can help, but how often he can stay on the floor when the rotation tightens. His path to steady minutes off the bench will likely come down to one thing: whether his outside shot keeps falling enough to make him hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]