Kawhi Leonard’s return for the Raptors may be taking longer than anyone would like, but the timing could end up making sense.
Leonard has only played two games since arriving in Toronto, and the early results were rough. He shot 32.4% from the field and 28.6% from three-point range before a left knee injury sent him to the sideline.
Since then, the Raptors have gone 3-7 without him, including a frustrating loss to the Boston Celtics after they blew a 22-point lead. Toronto has also had to navigate absences from Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl, and Collin Murray-Boyles, which has only made Leonard’s absence harder to absorb.
On November 10, it was reported that Leonard would be out at least one more week. That leaves the door open, at least in theory, for a return against the New York Knicks on the 17th or against the Washington Wizards after that. Still, a later comeback may be more realistic, and the Raptors’ matchup with the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 27 has been floated as a cleaner landing spot.
Sportsnet’s Michael Grange pointed to that game as the likeliest return date. “The next official upset should come early next week,” Grange wrote.
“It’s conceivable that Leonard could be cleared to play by then, but as I look at the Raptors’ schedule, I think it’s more likely that he could return by Toronto’s game on Nov. 27th at home against Brooklyn. The Raptors have a stretch at the end of the month where they are home for a week and play just once in six days.
That should give Leonard a chance to go through some live practices before suiting up for a game, which is fairly standard procedure.”
That kind of timeline would mean five more games without Leonard, which is hardly ideal if the losses keep piling up and Barnes remains out. Toronto would need others to carry more of the load against the Knicks, Wizards, and Pistons.
But there’s a bigger issue than just getting Leonard back quickly. The Raptors need him available long term, not just for one game or one week. Their 5-7 start isn’t what anyone around the team wanted after finally landing Leonard, but there are still 70 games left to work with.
If Toronto keeps slipping while Leonard sits, the hole will get deeper. Even so, rushing him back before he’s ready could create a bigger problem than the one they’re trying to solve. The Raptors need Leonard on the floor, but they need him healthy even more.
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