The Toronto Raptors have had a great training camp and preseason midway through October, but things are expected to be taken to another gear this week. Kawhi Leonard, who has been a limited participant in most of camp and has yet to play a preseason game with the team, appears poised to make his preseason debut in short time.
Kawhi Leonard has been cleared to play in the Raptors home preseason contest against the New York Knicks on Tuesday night. Leonard fully participated in practice on Monday, as he has the last couple of days, as he ramps up from a very limited workload this offseason amid the NBA's pending investigation and trade discussions.
Leonard missed Saturday's preseason game against his former team, the LA Clippers, in Vancouver as he continued to increase his practice participation.
“He went through the whole practice with the team today, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said back on Friday's before the team's preseason game against the Clippers. “He's continuing to ramp up in preparing for the season. He's feeling well, he's where he needs to be at this point.”
In his 14th season in the NBA last year, Kawhi Leonard averaged career-highs with 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game in his age 34 season while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Article Continues BelowThe Clippers then agreed to trade Leonard to the Raptors for a package of Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and a couple of future draft picks. Ingram is currently recovering from offseason surgery on his right heel to address a heel spur and partially torn Achilles tendon.
Toronto has put together a talented team around Kawhi Leonard that includes rising star Scottie Barnes and a number of strong complementary players like RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl, Collin Murray-Boyles, Jamal Shead, and Ja'Kobe Walter.