Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard is dealing with a knee injury that will keep him out for at least a week, but it's possible that it could be longer.

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Leonard's absence will likely extend to 3-4 weeks.

"I have a little bit more information on this timeline. Sources have relayed to me that Kawhi will actually be out for an expected time of around 3 to 4 weeks. I think it's a little bit longer than what people were expecting or hoping for," Haynes said.

"What I'm told is that they have to wait until the inflammation is limited. At that point, at the end of that 3- to 4-week window, they will assess where to go from there."

Kawhi Leonard's Absence Could Be Longer Than Expected

This is a crushing blow for the Raptors, who spent the entire offseason trying to acquire Leonard in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and multiple first-round picks.

Leonard played in the team's first two games, but began to express some discomfort as he was warming up for the Raptors matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this week. He has now missed the last two games for the Raptors and is expected to miss a lot more.

Leonard will be out when the Raptors visit his former Clippers team that he called home from 2019-26 on Nov. 2.

Over the next 4 weeks, the Raptors are expected to play 10 games against the Los Angeles Lakers, the aforementioned Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks (x2), Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks.

Should Leonard return in exactly four weeks, that would give him a chance to return when the Raptors host Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets on Nov. 29. However, Haynes said that they will assess where to go once the team reaches the four-week window, which means he could be out for longer.

If Leonard has a goal of playing 65 games to qualify for All-NBA awards, he is cutting things very close. He might still be able to hit it even with this injury, but the margin for error is thinning. He would likely have to play both legs of back-to-backs once he returns, which may not be the best course of action for the Raptors, who need Leonard healthy for the postseason.

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