Kawhi Leonard has not stepped onto a basketball court since late October, when swelling in his left knee ended a two-game start to his new season in Toronto.
The Raptors announced on November 4 that Leonard had “successfully completed treatment to address left knee swelling” and would begin the club’s return-to-play process. He had spent the previous weeks receiving care in Los Angeles before flying back to Toronto.
Rajakovic offered the clearest update yet after practice on Sunday.
“He’s doing well. He’s still not participating in the team activities and on the court, but his body reacted well to the treatment, and he’s making good progress now,” the head coach told reporters, via Yahoo.
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Celtics game the earliest realistic return
An MRI on the knee last month showed no structural damage, and the Raptors said they would provide a further progress check within a week of the November 4 announcement. The earliest possible return date is Wednesday’s home game against the Boston Celtics, according to Bleacher Report.
There is no firm timetable. Leonard is not cleared for on-court work and has been restricted to rehabilitation rather than practising with his teammates.
Back in Toronto on a new extension
Leonard, who won a championship with the Raptors in 2019, signed a multi-year contract extension after returning to the franchise in a June trade from the Los Angeles Clippers. He is back in Toronto chasing a second ring. In the two games he played before the swelling flared up, he averaged 19.5 points and 7.5 rebounds.
The cautious handling is familiar. Toronto’s medical staff is working through an injury history that has defined his career since the 2017 Western Conference finals, and the new deal gives both sides reason to avoid rushing him back.
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Toronto hosts the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night, with the home game against Boston on Wednesday, 11 November, the next window in which Leonard could realistically be cleared.
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