Kawhi Leonard is not playing today because the Raptors are off.
The 35-year-old was a late scratch for Sunday's loss at Minnesota with left knee swelling, and Toronto announced Tuesday that he will be sidelined for at least a week. He is expected to miss the Raptors' next four games, beginning with Wednesday's matchup against the Magic.
We'll be tracking Leonard's injury status and availability throughout the season with regular updates during his return to Toronto, including the team's load management strategy and how Darko Rajakovic manages his minutes alongside Scottie Barnes.
Is Kawhi Leonard playing tonight?
The Toronto Raptors do not have a game tonight. They are off Monday and Tuesday before hosting the Magic on Wednesday, October 28, at 7:30 p.m. ET. Leonard is out for that game, and the team said he will be re-evaluated in one week.
Kawhi Leonard was added to the injury report about an hour before Sunday's tip and sat out the 117-94 loss to the Timberwolves, the Raptors' first defeat of the season. He had played in the first two games, averaging 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 steals in 26.0 minutes while shooting 12-of-37 (32.4%) from the field. Ja'Kobe Walter took his place in the starting lineup.
An MRI showed no structural damage, and the Raptors said imaging revealed no acute injury. Leonard will go through a treatment and rehabilitation program, and ESPN's Shams Charania reported he is expected to miss several weeks as Toronto ramps him back up after offseason stoppages.
That timeline would also keep him out of the November 1-2 trip to Los Angeles. ESPN's injury tracker lists an estimated return of November 23, but the team has not given a timeline beyond next week's re-evaluation. The Raptors' official injury report for Wednesday will confirm his status for the Magic game.
How to watch Magic vs Raptors
- Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2026
- Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
- TV: TSN, NBA League Pass
Kawhi Leonard's next game and Raptors schedule
The Raptors' next game is against the Magic on Wednesday, October 28, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
They host Orlando again on Friday before visiting the Lakers on Sunday and the Clippers on Monday, Nov. 2.
| Date | Opponent | Tipoff (ET) | Raptors win probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 28 |  vs. Magic |
7:30 p.m. | 56% |
| Oct. 30 | vs. Magic |
7:30 p.m. | — |
| Nov. 1 |  at Lakers |
9 p.m. | — |
| Nov. 2 |  at Clippers |
10 p.m. | — |
Win probabilities via Polymarket as of Oct. 27; subject to change.
The November 1-2 back-to-back in Los Angeles is the next stretch to watch, and Leonard is already expected to miss it, including his only scheduled visit to Intuit Dome to face his former team.
Kawhi Leonard injury history
Here's a look at Leonard's most notable injury absences across his NBA career.
Left knee swelling cost him the Raptors' Oct. 25 game this season, and irritation in the same knee sent him home from a Clippers road trip in January, costing him three starts.
| Period | Team | Injury | Games missed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 2026 |  TOR |
Left knee swelling | 1+ (ongoing) |
| Jan. 2026 | LAC |
Left knee irritation | 3 |
| Nov. 2025 | LAC |
Right ankle and foot sprains | 10 |
| Oct. 2024-Jan. 2025 | LAC |
Right knee inflammation | 34 |
| April 2024 (playoffs) | LAC |
Right knee inflammation | 4 |
| April 2023 (playoffs) | LAC |
Right meniscus tear | 3 |
| 2021-22 season | LAC |
Recovery from partially torn right ACL | 82 |
| June 2021 (playoffs) | LAC |
Right knee sprain (later diagnosed as partial ACL tear) | 8 |
| 2018-19 | TOR |
Quad injury/load management | 22 |
How many games has Kawhi Leonard played this season?
Leonard has played two of the Raptors' three games in the 2026-27 season, appearing in wins over the Bulls and Wizards. His only absence came against the Timberwolves on October 25.
Last season, he played 65 of the Clippers' 82 games, his most since 2023-24 and just the fifth time in his 15-year career he reached that mark. The table below tracks this season alongside his previous five:
| Season | Games played | Games missed |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025-26 | 65 | 17 |
| 2024-25 | 37 | 45 |
| 2023-24 | 68 | 14 |
| 2022-23 | 52 | 30 |
| 2021-22 | 0 | 82 |
Regular season only; 2026-27 totals through October 25. Games missed include all absences, not just injuries.
How many games has Kawhi Leonard missed this season?
Leonard has missed one game in the 2026-27 season, and he is expected to miss at least four more. He sat out the October 25 loss at Minnesota with left knee swelling, then was ruled out for at least a week on Tuesday. The Raptors are 2-0 with Leonard and 0-1 without him through their first three games.
Leonard missed 17 regular-season games last year in his final season with the Clippers and has missed at least 14 games in each of the last five seasons. In 2024-25, he missed the first 34 games with right knee inflammation and finished with 37 appearances.
During his first stint in Toronto in 2018-19, he played 60 games under a load management plan before leading the Raptors to the franchise's first championship.
How many playoff games has Kawhi Leonard played?
Leonard has played 146 playoff games across 12 postseasons. That total does not include 2026, when the Clippers lost to the Warriors in the play-in round and missed the playoffs, the first time that happened in a season he played for them.
His most recent playoff action was a seven-game first-round loss to the Nuggets in 2025.
What happens if Kawhi Leonard is out?
Leonard averaged a career-high 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists for the Clippers last season, earning his seventh All-Star selection and a seventh-place finish in MVP voting.
The Raptors' first game without him showed how much needs to be spread around: Toronto shot 38.5% in a 117-94 loss at Minnesota, with Scottie Barnes going 0-for-12 from the field.
Who benefits if Kawhi Leonard sits?
Walter's scoring and the Raptors' secondary playmaking are the first areas I'd look at when Leonard sits. Walter scored 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting in 31 minutes against the Timberwolves, RJ Barrett added 20, and Immanuel Quickley scored 19.
The offense still runs through Barnes, and a 0-for-12 night is more likely an outlier than a new baseline.
Rookie forward Allen Graves and veteran Kyle Anderson are among the others who figure to move up Toronto's depth chart. That distinction matters: the player who picks up Leonard's minutes won't necessarily inherit his shots or his defensive playmaking, which showed up in his 3.5 steals per game through two outings.
How would his absence affect the Raptors' odds?
The Minnesota loss showed why depth matters. The Raptors were outrebounded 63-43 and let the Timberwolves shoot 55.8% from the field, including 15-of-31 from 3-point range. Toronto did force 15 steals, but 16 turnovers of its own and a 10-of-38 night from deep kept the game out of reach.
If Leonard misses extended time, Toronto’s championship hopes could take a significant hit. Despite the injury concerns, Polymarket still ranks the Raptors sixth with a 4% implied chance of winning the title, though Leonard’s injury history casts a shadow over those odds.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
