So I’m a fairly new basketball fan. I didn’t follow the NBA at all in 2019. I knew that the Warriors were one of the best teams and I knew who Stephen Curry and Lebron James were, but that was about as far as my basketball knowledge went. I certainly didn’t know who Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or even Paul George were back then. So just today I was reading through Shai’s Wikipedia article and found out that not only did he used to play for the Clippers, but he was traded to Thunder for Paul George.
Just to refresh your memory, the Clippers sent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and five future first round picks to the Thunder in exchange for George. At the time Gilgeous-Alexander had just completed his rookie year, in which he started 73 games for the Clippers but averaged only 10 points and 26 minutes per game. Now, he was just named to the All-NBA first team with the Thunder.
So I’m curious what you thought of the trade then and what you think of it now. What did people generally think of the trade at the time? Was it panned or did people think it was a good deal? For me, I think the Clippers made a mistake. Paul George is still good and I’m certainly not saying he’s washed, but he’s a full eight years older than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Shai could easily play 10-15 more years, while George has 5 years left at best. If the Clippers had won a championship with George, you could argue it was worth it, but they haven’t. I think that the Clippers with Kawhi Leonard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and whatever they could have turned those five first round picks into certainly would be better than just Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The Thunder on the other hand, with their young core of SGA, Giddey, and Holmgren, could look pretty scary in 2-3 years. I certainly think the Thunder got the better end of the deal.
What did you think of the trade at the time? Have you changed your mind in retrospect?
It was a good trade in the moment for both sides.
clearly a win for the thunder but – nothing wrong with the clippers going for it. it was a massive swing for them and universally considered an amazing summer for them to land PG and Kawhi.
i guess you could have forecasted injury issues for PG and Kawhi, but no one knew SGA would turn into a 30 ppg star, or that the 2022 Clippers pick would land in the lottery (getting the thunder Jalen Williams).
The “good picks” from the trade ('24, '25 swap and '26) haven’t even conveyed yet so in hindsight it’s going to look very lopsided unless the Clippers make a deep run this year or next.
The 2025 swap might not even convey though, and the clippers will probably be a playoff team next season. The 2026 one is really the last pick that’s left to convey that could be in the top 10 imo.
Paul George trade also got them Kawhi which made them favorites to win a championship for 4 (?) years. Plus good depth, only injury has really kept them back. It was the right move even without the expected success. It won’t be remembered that way, but you can’t predict the future.
Great win-win trade for both sides. Both teams got what they needed
I don’t think it’s a win for Clippers unless they win it. Everyone understand the gambles that they did, and needed to do, but they haven’t won the trade (yet), not close.
Yes they have
This may come across as an asshole Boston sport’s fan looking down on the Clippers. But that was a shitty franchise. Kawhi and PG (little more PG) got them to their first conference finals in franchise history. Made them a real contender. People take the Clippers seriously now. I’d take that as a win any day
In hindsight, I wish we had kept SGA and had the patience to build a great team with those picks. I know it’s a win-now league so it’s not really feasible that Balmer would have wanted to wait.
Let’s face it guys, either Kawhi, PG or both will get hurt again this season and we won’t really go into the playoffs in a good position.
I mention this at the start of every season recently and I got voted down. It’s crazy to not expect it at this point. You can’t count on many things in life, but you can count on Kawhi or PG getting hurt when we need them the most.
At the time It did make sense - not all risks pan out, doesn’t mean they were bad moves at the time. It would have been better to sign Jimmy Butler with their open cap space instead though. I don’t know if they could have pulled him away from the Heat, but imagine Kawhi/Jimmy/SGA and all their picks? Maybe Kawhi is still injured every year anyways, but that’s a loaded team.
With PG they were still immediate perennial contenders who very possibly could have a title if they stayed healthy. The only post-season they had Kawhi healthy for was the bubble year under Doc who had Montrezl Harrell guarding Jokic in the playoffs against the advice of the front office.
And then Kawhi missed the playoffs in 21, 22, and 23. I think 2021 was their year, they made the WCF after Kawhi went down against the Jazz and won 2 games against Phoenix without him. With Kawhi I’d have bet on them winning the title that year.
Since getting PG meant getting Kawhi, both teams would do the exact same trade again.
I refuse to act like the Thunder are going to be gunning for the Warriors 73-win record next season. 45 wins and a playing tough a in first-round series loss in the playoffs would be a big win for them.
Don’t play. That isn’t the Hornets trading Kobe for Vlade.
Thunder haven’t done anything and neither have the Clippers. Thunder won the trade technically because of PG and Kawhi being hurt all the time.
Would have done the trade 10/10 times if it were 2019. Shai at the time was a wildcard player who’s success was hard to predict and PG was a consistent , all star caliber player. In retrospect i think it was a good trade for both the OKC thunder and the Clippers. The Clippers squad the year after the trade was undeniably the best squad it’s every been and OKC recieved Shai and plenty of capital
Clippers made the right deal at the time. Just because it hasn’t ended in a title doesn’t mean it wasn’t a great deal. They got the furthest they ever have with this team and their expectations going into seasons are the highest they’ve ever been with this team. That matters with the Clippers history. Clippers made the right deal and bagged a superstar in his prime who wanted to play on their team…which in combination led to another superstar in his prime.
It may be something we look back at as a failure to launch with the Clips not being able to reach their lofty expectations with this pair but it isn’t for a lack of trying. The Thunder obviously have been able to create a new core led by Shai who they got from the Clippers. It was a win/win deal for both sides in the end as both got exactly what they wanted from the deal itself.
Clippers fleeced
At the time it was worth a shot. PG was more proven, even after his horrific injury. Clippers were in win now mode. All things fair, it’s even, since the Clips came within two wins of the Finals