Leonard’s first absence gives young Raptors early test

WASHINGTON, DC -  OCTOBER 23: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors handles the ball during the game against the Washington Wizards on October 23, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Kawhi Leonard will reportedly miss his first game since returning to the Toronto Raptors due to knee swelling. This means that Leonard will miss the highly anticipated matchup between the Raptors and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.

Ja’Kobe Walter will be inserted into the starting lineup in Leonard’s place.

With the Raptors and Timberwolves being two of the nine remaining undefeated teams, the showdown is the first real litmus test for both squads. While it’s unfortunate that fans won’t get to see their rosters at full strength, intrigue continues to surround this team’s long-term sustainability without Leonard, particularly against contenders.

The last time Leonard missed a game was against the Golden State Warriors on Apr. 12. It was the Los Angeles Clippers’ season finale. Before then, Leonard had played in 11 consecutive games, which included a 27-point performance in a win over the Toronto Raptors on Mar. 25. Leonard returned for the Clippers’ play-in game against the Warriors.

Leonard appeared in 65 games during his final season in Los Angeles. He hasn’t appeared in at least 60 games in consecutive seasons since 2015-17, both of which were his first two seasons as an All-Star. During the Raptors Media Day, Leonard suggested that he would like to play more this year.

In his legendary run with the Raptors in 2019, Leonard finished with 60 regular-season appearances.

During Toronto’s 112-102 victory over the Washington Wizards on Oct. 23, Head Coach Darko Rajakovic played Leonard 27 minutes. In the season-opener, the Klaw finished with 23 minutes. The Raptors play their first set of two games in three nights against the Orlando Magic on Oct. 28 and 30.

After that, the Raptors get their first back-to-back, conveniently against the Los Angeles Lakers (Nov. 1) and the Clippers (Nov. 2). If the early load management means that Leonard is good to go for their business trip to Los Angeles, then this could be worth it.