Kawhi Leonard Will Play In His First NBA Game Since January On Saturday Night

Kawhi Leonard hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since Jan. 13 and, over that eight-month period, a lot has changed. The superstar forward was dealt from the San Antonio Spurs to the Toronto Raptors (after a long and interesting pre-trade saga) and, while that grabbed the headlines, Leonard’s prolonged absence during the 2017-2018 was caused by a mysterious hamstring injury that no one knew the status of, even after the trade went down.

On Saturday evening, Leonard will make a “debut” of sorts, taking the floor for the first time in a Raptors uniform during a preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Unfortunately, the Raptors won’t be able to deploy their full starting lineup, as OG Anunoby is set to miss the game for personal reasons. Still, Leonard’s first appearance on the floor will provide plenty of incentive to take in the proceedings, both for how he looks in a different uniform and how he moves over the course of what will probably be at least a slightly abbreviated stint.

At his best, Leonard is an absolute superstar and, with that in mind, his future (in Toronto or otherwise) will be a national talking point throughout the 2018-19 campaign. The initial step takes place on Saturday evening, though, and basketball fans will undoubtedly enjoy watching one of the game’s best for the first time in a long while.