Raptors Have Options to Replace Kawhi Leonard in Lineup; What Should Jorge Fernandez Do and When Will Leonard Return?

Toronto Raptors star forward Kawhi Leonard received bad news about his knees. After sitting out the Raptors’ 117-94 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday due to swelling in his knee, Leonard learned that his absence will last longer than one game. “Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss a period of weeks due to swelling in his left knee, sources tell ESPN,” Shams Charania tweeted earlier today . “MRI on Leonard’s knee showed no structural damage, but sides will use the shorter term to ramp him back up after the stoppages during the offseason.” Toronto’s loss to Minnesota was the Raptors’ first of the season and dropped their record to 2-1. The game also marked the first contest that Leonard sat out since returning to Toronto this summer. Part of the concern when the Raptors sent Gradey Dick and Brandon Ingram to the Los Angeles Clippers for Leonard after snapping a three-year playoff drought stemmed from the 35-year-old’s unreliability. Leonard hasn’t appeared in 60 games in back-to-back seasons or played in at least 70 contests since 2016-17. While Leonard is expected to be out for some time, there is a silver lining. As Michael Grange of Sportsnet tweeted, Leonard is not injured. Grange added that Leonard’s issue is due to wear and tear on his knee and that he is expected to be back on the court to continue his ramp-up before returning to action. Leonard has been productive in his two appearances this year, but far from efficient. He averages 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 steals with shooting splits of 32.4/28.6/1.000. Darko Rajakovic Has Important Lineup Decisions While Leonard Is Sidelined Toronto looked really good against Chicago in the season opener, forever that is, as the Bulls are going to be one of the worst teams in the league. The Raptors also played well for the most part against Washington, holding the Wizards to just 38% from the field and 32.4% from 3-point range. While Toronto struggled to shoot the ball from deep in the first two games, the Raptors were totally off their game without Leonard against the Wolves. The Raptors shot just 38.5% from the field against the Wolves and hoisted a season-high 38 threes (of their 91 total attempts), connecting on 26.3% of the tries. Toronto’s biggest problem was their halfcourt offense. Without Leonard, the Timberwolves defense stifled the Raptors’ offense, allowing them to load up on Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett . Barnes was held scoreless on 12 shots, and Barrett needed 21 shots to tally his 20 points. Overall, the Raptors totaled 62 points in the halfcourt, with 18 coming on fast breaks and 14 at the free-throw line. Toronto is the top-ranked defensive team through three games, followed by Minnesota. But the Raptors also struggled on that end against the Timberwolves, as the Wolves shot 56% from the field and knocked down 15 triples at 46% from beyond the arc. Against Minnesota, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic inserted Ja’Kobe Walter into the starting lineup while keeping the rest of his normal first unit — Immanuel Quickley , Jakob Poeltl , Barnes and Barrett. Walter had a strong offensive game against Minnesota, scoring 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 5-of-8 from 3-point range. The 22-year-old also grabbed four rebounds (2 offensive), dished out two assists, recorded two steals, and blocked one shot. However, he posted a -22 plus/minus rating, and with him standing at 6-4, the Raptors lack size and rebounding, as Barrett is 6-6. Examining the Raptors’ Options to Replace Kawhi Leonard in the Starting Lineup Ja’Kobe Walter Walter has picked up right where he left off last year. Walter, who increased his production after the All-Star break, averages 13.0 points on 46.4% from the field and 2.7 threes at 40% from beyond the arc. He also has compiled 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals. Walter has started 38 of his 127 contests and is playing the best basketball of his career. He also played extremely well on both ends against the Timberwolves. Collin Murray-Boyles Collin Murray-Boyles had a solid rookie campaign last year , earning second-team All-Rookie honors, though he has struggled offensively early on. But the 21-year-old forward has rebounded the ball extremely well, particularly on the offensive end, and has been excellent defensively. He is holding his checks to 27.3% shooting and has the fifth-best defensive win percentage on the team. Allen Graves Allen Graves has played extremely well through his first three games of his rookie campaign. Graves is a lengthy, athletic big who figures to be the least likely of the four players listed to start, given his skill set is similar to Barnes’. He is off to a strong start due to his versatility, efficiency around the rim, and excellent rebounding. Graves’ defense is ahead of his offense. The 20-year-old was excellent on defense on the perimeter against the Timberwolves, whether on or off the ball. He did struggle on the interior on the ball, though he was better when off-the-ball inside. Kyle Anderson Kyle Anderson is the senior member of the four players. While Anderson has come off the bench most of his career , he has started 310 games and has been more efficient in the starting lineup. More importantly, he does the little things that help teams win and doesn’t make mistakes. The Final Word While Leonard is expected to return to the court next week, he is believed to be held out until after the Raptors return from their four-game road trip that starts Sunday. Therefore, Leonard will miss at least six games, with his earliest most likely return date being on November 9 at home against Memphis. In these six games, Toronto hosts Orlando (twice, this week) and then heads to Los Angeles to play both the Lakers and Clippers. The Raptors finish up the road trip at Denver and Milwaukee. So, expect Rajakovic to experiment a little, as 12 players started one game last year and he used 26 different starting lineups. Walter is the most gifted offensive player of the four players listed as options and started against Minnesota. So, expect Rajakovic to give Walter another start. However, if the Raptors struggle as they did against the Timberwolves, Rajakovic will likely make a change, potentially going with either Anderson or Graves. Toronto’s biggest concern without Leonard will be spacing offensively, with someone stepping up as the number 1 option—likely Barrett or Quickley. The Raptors’ lack of overall size and whether they can keep up their defensive intensity without Leonard are also concerns. Regardless of who ultimately starts in Leonard’s, all four players, plus Jamison Battle, project to see an increase in playing time. Walter and Graves figure to see the most significant increase unless Rajokovic decides to go with Anderson in the starting lineup. In that case, Anderson will likely only see between 12-19 minutes per game. More News Miami Heat Fans Have Reason To Worry: Stats Behind 0-4 Start 2 New NCAA Basketball Conferences Among the Changes Evaluating Miami Heat’s Disastrous Start to 2026-27 Photo Credit: Brad Mills, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect