How the Kawhi Leonard trade impacts the Denver Nuggets

SAN ANTONIO, TX – JANUARY 13: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball against the Denver Nuggets on January 13, 2018 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images)

After months of speculation, confusion, and an overall feeling of uncertainty, Kawhi Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors, according to Adrian Wojnarowski.

Here’s how the trade reportedly went down:

While reports surfaced a few days ago saying the Raptors were likely to put together a package for Leonard, you would’ve had to be clairvoyant to predict this would happen. Despite that, it has happened.

At first glance, it seems this move doesn’t really have a big impact on the Nuggets. The Spurs are trading a superstar to the Eastern Conference for a lesser star that doesn’t shoot threes. No big deal, right? However, it becomes clear upon a deeper dive of the subject that this move has big implications not just for the Denver basketball team, but for the entire league.

So let’s see how this trade will alter the Nuggets season and future.

(Note: All stats via Basketball-Reference unless otherwise noted.)