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Kawhi out with knee swelling

Sports · Heat 4.8 / 10 · 4 shows · 20m airtime

On October 27, 2026, Shams Charania reported that Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss multiple weeks with swelling in his left knee; an MRI showed no structural damage. The Raptors said Leonard will be reevaluated in a week and will miss the road trip to Los Angeles. The discussion has moved from the injury itself to Leonard's durability, with Stephen A. Smith calling him the worst superstar in sports history and arguing he gets paid without working.

How 4 podcasts covered it

  1. First Take, 2026-10-27 (34:58 to 40:18)
    Breaks the knee report and the MRI
    Breaks the Shams Charania report that Kawhi Leonard will miss multiple weeks with left knee swelling and no structural damage on the MRI, then hands the segment to Stephen A. Smith, who calls Leonard the worst superstar in sports history and rehashes the Aspire penalties.
    New angle: Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss multiple weeks with left knee swelling; an MRI showed no structural damage.
  2. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-28 (46:26 to 48:50)
    Relays the Kawhi report and what it means for Toronto
    Relays the Shams Charania report on Leonard's knee swelling and the clean MRI, then pivots to what it means for Toronto: without Kawhi the Raptors are Scottie Barnes and not much else, and the East is the Knicks and Sixers and everybody else. Stays inside the original report.
  3. Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective, 2026-10-28 (20:43 to 28:09)
    Cross-checks the Raptors' release against the reporting
    Works through the Raptors' own release against Shams's reporting: Toronto says Leonard will be reevaluated in a week and will miss the road trip to Los Angeles, while the reporting says a period of weeks. Adds his statement and a tally of his knee history.
    New angle: The Raptors said Leonard will be reevaluated in a week and will miss the road trip to Los Angeles.
  4. The Athletic NBA Daily, 2026-10-28 (5:41 to 8:09)
    Recaps Leonard's knee news and Toronto's load
    Recaps the Kawhi Leonard knee news and stays inside the injury report, then pivots to what it means for Toronto: Scottie Barnes' 0-for-12 scoreless night and R.J. Barrett carrying the offense. The only fresh detail is Leonard's cold shooting start, 32 percent from the floor and 28 from three.
  5. The Athletic NBA Daily, 2026-10-29 (29:32 to 31:35)
    Reads the symbolism in Leonard's absence
    Recaps the knee swelling and the missed Los Angeles trip, then reads the symbolism: Leonard will be absent from his Clippers reunion night amid the Aspiration fallout. Stays inside the injury story already on the record.
Unpacking...