Kawhi Leonard’s history with mysterious, drawn-out injuries goes back nearly a decade. During the 2017-18 season in San Antonio, a quadriceps injury the Spurs called tendinopathy kept him out for all but nine games. By March, Leonard was rehabbing in New York, away from the team, and Gregg Popovich said he’d “be surprised if he returns this season.”

That July, San Antonio traded him to Toronto. Nearly a decade later, back in Toronto for a second stint, he’s facing a familiar kind of setback, just with far less mystery attached this time.

Leonard played the first two games with the Raptors. He was then ruled out roughly an hour before a matchup with Minnesota, sidelined by swelling in his left knee. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported he’s expected to miss “a period of weeks,” though an MRI showed no structural damage, with both sides planning to use the time to properly ramp him back up. Through those two games, Leonard had looked like his old self, averaging 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals.

Leonard addressed the setback on social media rather than letting speculation start as often as it has in the past. “Yeah it’s always frustrating missing time,” he wrote. “I came back to compete with this team and I’m focused on getting back to 100. Toronto, I’ve appreciated the love since I’ve been back. Returning soon. Godspeed. Whi.”

Why This Injury Hits Differently Than Leonard’s Past Setbacks

Leonard’s return to Toronto was unusual from the start. The Raptors agreed to the trade with the Clippers in June, but it sat on hold until Sept. 14 while the NBA investigated the Clippers for salary-cap circumvention. Leonard was fined $700,000 and had a short runway into the season.

Once the deal cleared, he signed a two-year, $115 million extension, with the second year at his option. He took about $11 million less than his maximum and waived a $7.5 million trade kicker to make it work. Leonard arrived in Toronto with real urgency to prove the move was worth it immediately, not after another extended absence.

That urgency is part of why the statement reads differently than the silence that often defined his Spurs tenure. Rather than letting the team’s front office carry the explanation, or leaving the situation open to outside speculation about his commitment, Leonard got ahead of it himself, framing the absence as frustration rather than distance.

For a player whose durability has shadowed every stop of his career, from San Antonio’s quad saga to repeated load-management controversies in his Los Angeles stint.

But he is also coming off one of his healthiest seasons. Last year, he played 65 games and averaged a career-high 27.9 points.

One early injury won’t define his second run in Toronto. Given his history, though, it was always going to draw attention, which is likely why Leonard chose to address it directly rather than let the story write itself.

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