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Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard, middle, looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
By The Canadian Press

Raptors’ Leonard finishes swollen knee treatment, begins return to play ‘process’

Nov 3, 2026 | 6:19 PM

TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors confirmed Tuesday night that forward Kawhi Leonard has successfully completed treatment to address swelling in his left knee.

The Raptors, in a two paragraph statement released at 7 p.m. (ET), said Leonard will now begin the return to play process in Toronto, and said his progress will be “updated in one week.”

Leonard, acquired by Toronto during an off-season trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, played the Raptors’ first two games of the season but was placed the team’s injury report one hour before tipoff of an Oct. 25 game in Minnesota.

The Raptors announced two days later that Leonard would miss at least a week due to the swelling.

Leonard will miss his fifth game when the Raptors visit the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. Toronto is 2-2 without him so far.

While the Raptors said an MRI last week did not find an acute injury, Leonard has had a troubled history with both knees.

Leonard missed time during his 2018-19 season with Toronto because of a left patellar injury that appeared to still be bothering him during the Raptors’ championship run. Teammate Danny Green said during Toronto’s Eastern Conference final against Milwaukee that Leonard was “playing through pain.”

The left knee issues persisted after Leonard signed with the Clippers for the 2019-20 season, with the team often resting him on the second night of back-to-backs.

Leonard has more recently dealt with significant injuries to his right knee, including a torn anterior cruciate ligament sustained during the 2021 playoffs that kept him out the following season.

Leonard is in his second stint with the Raptors after a dominant 2018-19 season in which he led Toronto to its only title, picking up his second NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in the process.

He averaged 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals over the first two games of this season while shooting just 32 per cent.

Leonard is a two-time NBA Finals MVP. After getting traded back to Toronto this summer he agreed on a $115 million extension that, at his option, would run through the 2028-29 season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2026.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press