The Predators expect to be without a star forward Kawhi Leonard for “several weeks” as a result of swelling in his left knee, sources told ESPN’s Shamsu Charanya (Link to Twitter).
After making it official on Leonard, the Raptors said in a press release today that he will undergo treatment and a rehab program to address swelling after scans showed no “acute injury” (i.e., structural damage) to the knee.
According to the team, the plan is to reevaluate the 35-year-old in a week.
Leonard, who was traded from Los Angeles to Toronto in September after a lengthy delay due to an NBA investigation into the Clippers’ salary cap violations, has been slow to build up during the preseason, appearing in just two of the Raptors’ five exhibition games this month.
The two-time Finals MVP played in the first two games of the regular season, and while he shot just 32.4% from the floor in those outings, he averaged 3.5 steals in just 26.0 minutes per game and helped lead Toronto to a 2-0 lead before being ruled out with knee swelling in Sunday’s contest in Minnesota.
Based on the schedule provided by the Raptors, it appears Leonard will miss at least the next four games, with the team hosting Orlando on Wednesday and Friday before visiting Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Sunday and the Clippers on Monday.
That means the former Clipper will sit out the Raptors’ only visit to the Intuit Dome this season. And based on Charanya’s reports, it seems like there’s a good chance he’ll miss at least a few more games beyond the next four.
In Leonardo’s absence, the third wing I’m Kobe Walter made the starting lineup on Sunday. Walter is a prime candidate for a stepped-up role with Kawhi out with the rookie forward Allen Graves and veteran swingman Kyle Anderson among others who figure to move up Toronto’s depth chart.