Kawhi Leonard's return to the Toronto Raptors is off to a turbulent start. The seven-time All-Star is out a "period of weeks" due to left knee swelling, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
The news comes after the Raptors scratched Leonard from their lineup an hour before Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, citing left knee swelling. Leonard played the first two games, averaging 19.5 points, 3.5 steals and 7.5 rebounds in a pair of Toronto wins.
Injuries have begun to define Leonard's otherwise excellent career. He hasn't started at least 70 games since 2016-17, when he still played for the San Antonio Spurs. Leonard, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year with San Antonio, has hit the 60-game mark only three time since then.
Leonard
has dealt with notable lower body injuries since 2017-18, including a partial right ACL tear that cost him the entire 2021-22 season and a right meniscus tear that sidelined him for the 2023 playoffs.
Here's what we know about Leonard's latest ailment.
When is Kawhi Leonard coming back?
An MRI confirmed Leonard doesn't have any structural damage, per Charania, so the injury doesn't appear to be season-ending. But the "period of weeks" recovery timeline is certainly murky. Expect Toronto to exercise caution with Leonard, giving him ample time to recover as long as they stay in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: When is Kawhi Leonard coming back to Raptors?
