Raptors rout Bulls 135-92 as Kawhi Leonard returns

The Toronto Raptors opened their 2026-27 season with a 135-92 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, as Kawhi Leonard returned to Toronto’s lineup for his first regular-season appearance with the team since 2019. Leonard started and scored 23 points in 24 minutes, adding six rebounds and two assists. Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley also scored 23 points apiece, while RJ Barrett added 20. Toronto’s four leading scorers combined for 89 points. The Raptors took control early, leading 43-23 after the first quarter and 69-44 at halftime. Chicago never led. Toronto’s advantage grew to as many as 48 points, and the team finished with a 43-point margin in its home opener. Leonard’s return followed a summer trade from the Los Angeles Clippers. He helped Toronto win its first NBA championship in 2019, then left for the Clippers as a free agent that offseason. The return puts him back alongside a Raptors group that includes Barnes, Quickley and Barrett, though his longer-term role and impact remain to be seen after one game. Before the opener, Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said Leonard was still reconditioning and that the team wanted to manage his workload with the broader season...