Kawhi Leonard is out against the Timberwolves with left knee swelling as the unbeaten Raptors visit Minnesota

Kawhi Leonard will not play for the Toronto Raptors at the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night, ruled out with swelling in his left knee. It is the first regular-season game the 35-year-old forward has missed in his second stint with Toronto, and it comes in a matchup of two teams that are still unbeaten.

The league’s official injury report lists Leonard as out with a left knee effusion, the medical term for fluid in the joint, and Marc Stein relayed the team’s announcement shortly before tip-off. No timeline came with the ruling.

A careful start for a star with a long knee history

Toronto has handled Leonard gently since bringing him back from the Clippers in a trade that became official on September 14. He sat out the first two preseason games, played only two exhibitions in total, and has not passed 28 minutes in a regular-season game. He scored 23 points in 23:56 in the 135-92 opening win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, making all 11 of his free throws and adding four steals, then had 16 points, nine rebounds and three steals in a 112-102 win over the Washington Wizards on Friday, when he shot 7-of-20.

That is 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals a game so far. Knee trouble has followed him for years: he missed the entire 2021-22 season after surgery on his right knee, and swelling in his knees cost him playoff games with the Clippers. He still played 65 games last season and averaged a career-high 27.9 points.

Who carries the load

The Raptors have the depth to absorb one night. Scottie Barnes posted 28 points and 14 rebounds in Washington, RJ Barrett has scored at least 20 in both games, and Immanuel Quickley scored 23 in the opener. Toronto also allowed just 90.0 points per 100 possessions in week one, the best defensive mark in the league. Center Nate Bittle remains out with a right foot avulsion fracture.

Minnesota is 2-0 after road wins in Miami and Orlando and plays its home opener without Donte DiVincenzo, who is recovering from surgery on his right Achilles tendon. Every status for the night is on our NBA injury report page.

What comes next

The Raptors and Timberwolves tip off at Target Center on Sunday, October 25, at 7 p.m. ET (2 a.m. Monday in Cairo): Raptors at Timberwolves Game Center. Toronto then has two days off before it hosts the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, October 28, at 7:30 p.m. ET, the next chance for Leonard to return: Magic at Raptors Game Center.