Kawhi Leonard Begins Return-to-Play Process After Two-Game $115 Million Tease

The Toronto Raptors traded a massive haul and handed Kawhi Leonard a $115 million extension just to get two games out of him before his left knee flared up again. But hey, good news for the medical staff: he is officially progressing.

According to Marc Stein, Leonard has begun the return-to-play process after receiving treatment for swelling in his left knee. Medical imaging showed no structural damage, which is the NBA equivalent of finding out your check engine light is just a loose gas cap.

"The Raptors say Kawhi Leonard’s left knee is progressing after treatment to address swelling and Leonard has begun the return-to-play process."

Before getting scratched an hour before tipoff against the Minnesota Timberwolves last week, Leonard actually looked solid. He averaged 19.5 points and 7.5 rebounds across his first two appearances, dropping 23 on the Chicago Bulls and 16 on the Washington Wizards.

Toronto gave up Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and multiple draft picks to bring Kawhi back, then immediately handed him that two-year extension. Paying $57.5 million a year for a guy whose knees require a dedicated PR team is certainly a choice. For context, that is roughly $2.5 million per point he scored against Chicago.

The Raptors are sitting at 4-3 and have managed to stay afloat, recently beating the Los Angeles Clippers 125-118 behind Scottie Barnes. But sportsbooks and bettors know this roster's ceiling is entirely tied to Leonard's availability, which historically hovers around a coin flip.

Toronto heads to the altitude to play the Denver Nuggets next. Do not expect Leonard to suit up for that one just yet. The return-to-play ramp-up usually takes a minute, so Raptors fans will just have to keep refreshing their feeds and hoping the swelling stays down.