Kawhi Leonard's Left Knee is Already Forcing the Raptors to Improvise

Death, taxes, and Kawhi Leonard needing extra time to rest a swollen knee. The NBA scriptwriters really need to come up with some new material, because this rerun is getting exhausting.

According to Marc Stein, the Toronto Raptors are officially keeping Leonard sidelined for at least one more week as he recovers from swelling in his left knee. The team will re-evaluate him after this stretch, which is medical speak for nobody actually knowing when he will put a jersey back on.

"Leonard posted on social media that he is focused on getting back to 100 percent and appreciates the Toronto love."

Leonard has managed to play exactly two games this season since his blockbuster summer trade back to Toronto from the Los Angeles Clippers. He looked solid enough in those appearances, averaging 19.5 points and 7.5 rebounds, but looking solid for two nights does not exactly help a team trying to survive the Eastern Conference gauntlet.

The Raptors are currently sitting at a painfully average 5-5 record and just took a 118-102 beating from the Memphis Grizzlies. Head coach Darko Rajakovic is trying to spin this absence as a great development opportunity for the young guys, which is exactly what you say when your superstar's joints refuse to cooperate.

Leonard did post on social media that he is focused on getting back to 100 percent and appreciates the Toronto love. That sounds nice in a PR statement, but anyone who has followed his career knows that a fully healthy Kawhi is basically a mythological creature at this point.

This latest setback is a nightmare for anyone trying to handicap Toronto's immediate future. The Raptors have a brutal upcoming schedule with matchups against the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers on deck.

Without their franchise anchor on the floor, the game lines for those matchups are going to tilt heavily against Toronto. Bettors will have to look toward the supporting cast for player props, because the Raptors are going to need someone else to absorb all those missing minutes and shots while Leonard rests up.