Spurs trade Kawhi Leonard to Raptors in blockbuster deal

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Kawhi Leonard is on the move after seven seasons in San Antonio. | Eric Gay/AP Photo

The Spurs traded star forward Kawhi Leonard and shooting guard Danny Green to the Raptors for shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, big man Jakob Poeltl and a protected 2019 first-round pick. The blockbuster deal, officially announced Wednesday, changes the courses for both franchise amid an offseason that could spell major change for the NBA.

Leonard, the 2014 NBA Finals MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year, reportedly requested a trade out of San Antonio after a tumultuous year in which he played just nine games due to a quad injury. There were issues that sprouted between the team and the player as a result of how that situation was handled, and eventually it led to their parting.

The addition of Leonard for the Raptors is a game-changer given his potential impact on both ends of the floor. The 27-year-old averaged 25.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor during the 2016-17 season. If he can return to form after recovering from injury, the Raptors will have one of the best players in the NBA in his prime.

In return for their best player since Tim Duncan and a solid shooter in Green, the Spurs receive a package led by DeRozan, the high-scoring All-Star who has been a cornerstone in Toronto for years. After repeatedly falling short in the postseason, the Raptors are hoping Leonard can put them over the top.

The Spurs drafted Leonard with the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. They traded point guard George Hill to the Pacers in order to acquire the pick so they could acquire Leonard. It would prove to be one of the franchise’s most brilliant moves as he quickly blossomed into a franchise player under Gregg Popovich’s watch.

In 407 games with the Spurs, Leonard averaged 16.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. They won a championship together in 2014.

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