It was inevitable, folks, but I don’t think any Raptors fans were looking forward to seeing it happen. ESPN’s resident NBA insider Shams Charania broke the news on X earlier this morning, after Raptors personnel said an update could come as soon as Tuesday. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the news we were hoping for: Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss “a period of weeks due to swelling in his left knee.”
Charania added that MRI results showed “no structural damage,” and that the team will use the shorter timeline to ramp Kawhi back up after the offseason layoff. At the very least, that likely means no Kawhi for Toronto’s upcoming two-game set against Orlando, followed by the Raptors’ back-to-back matchups against the two Los Angeles teams.
After watching Toronto get absolutely obliterated by Minnesota without Kawhi, I understand why there are concerns about how the Raptors will fare in their upcoming matchups. But rest assured: I don’t think it can get much worse than a scoreless night from Scottie Barnes. There are other silver linings, too, with a promising name like Ja’Kobe Walter and the always-ready RJ Barrett able to step up in the interim.
Still, it’s tough to see Kawhi go down this early, and it certainly raises doubts about how they’ll fare in the playoffs. But let’s look at the situation from another angle: the alternate timeline in which Toronto didn’t pivot away from Brandon Ingram.
Ingram’s untimely heel issue during the playoffs was later revealed to involve a partially torn Achilles, which has kept him out of Clippers action to start the 2026–27 season. He has no clear timeline for a return, making Toronto’s decision to move on from BI over the summer look even smarter.
I noted before the season how Toronto absolutely made the right call in trading Ingram. Had they kept him, he would’ve been stuck on the bench while the Raptors had to manage his absence. Of course, Kawhi missing time brings its own concerns ... he’s hardly “Mr. Reliable,” either. And this is where the potential bite-back on those traded draft picks comes in, too.
But here’s the real question: how many Raptors fans would take this version of Kawhi, uncertain availability and all, over Brandon Ingram dealing with a partially torn Achilles?
An uncertain Kawhi still gives Toronto more hope than the BI alternative
I don’t say that to knock a guy while he’s down. But when you consider how much each player can raise a team’s ceiling, Kawhi Leonard has the edge. At his best, Kawhi gives Toronto a more favorable outlook than BI — even if you don’t know how many games he’ll play or what he’ll be dealing with.
That’s the risk you have to be willing to take when you’re dealing with Kawhi Leonard, and I’d bet Toronto has no regrets. It’s why so many outlets, pundits, and commentators were high on the addition and the “Kawhi Leonard effect,” as I’ve mentioned before. If the Raptors had kept Ingram, I don’t think we’d even be having the same conversation.
So before we completely hang our heads over the Kawhi news, let’s remember: if the alternative was BI, Toronto may have dodged a serious bullet.
Add us as a preferred source on Google