Kawhi Leonard Suffered Foot Injury in Win vs. Suns; Considered Minor

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Toronto Raptors small forward Kawhi Leonard left Friday’s 107-98 win over the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena late in the fourth quarter because of a jammed foot. 

According to The Athletic’s Blake Murphy, head coach Nick Nurse downplayed the severity of the injury. 

However minor, this is yet another injury concern for the 6’7″, 230-pound forward. He has averaged just 57 regular-season games through the last six years, topping out at 74 in 2016-17. Of course, he was limited to just nine games last season because of a quad injury.

When healthy, Leonard is one of the best two-way players in the world. He’s a two-time All-Star, a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and the 2014 Finals MVP. Not only that, but he was only getting better with each passing season.

Prior to an injury-plagued 2017-18, Leonard’s scoring average steadily increased all the way to a career-high 25.5 points per game in 2016-17. He also has career averages of 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game entering this season. And to top it all off, he has shot 49.5 percent from the floor and 38.6 percent from three-point range in his career.

Entering Friday night, Leonard was averaging 27.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.0 steals over his first six games in Toronto.  

The Raptors will be off Saturday before they return to the floor Sunday at Staples Center against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. But considering Leonard still isn’t playing in back-to-backs, it wouldn’t be a major stunner to see him sit out that game with a showdown against the Utah Jazz on tap Monday evening.