How the Clippers and Thunder view the Paul George, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander transaction at this time.
To put things in perspective, Kawhi Leonard, a free agent who had just won a championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, asked George to join the Clippers. Leonard had a lot of market power. In essence, Leonard warned the Clippers to acquire George, who placed third in the Kia MVP vote for the 2018–19 season, or watch him sign a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Even though Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t exactly a big star at the time, he was a potential talent. He’s only twenty-five years old, eight years younger than George, but he slowly shook the Thunder.
We look back and analyze the deal as the Clippers host the Thunder on Thursday (8 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass). In terms of who prevailed, well, OKC for the time being, though that may change.
The Thunder have yet to utilize all of those draft picks, and even if they do not pan out, OKC appears to have the advantage with George going straight up for Gilgeous-Alexander. However, it will all be worthwhile if the Clippers led by George and Leonard end up winning a championship during their tenure?
The Clippers’ current stand.
The Clippers are still one of the better, although more unpredictable, teams in the NBA as long as they can justify the move. After a difficult start, they have changed course after adding James Harden last month.
Following the trade: The Clippers have only made one trip to the Western Conference Finals due to the trade. The bottom line is the bottom line. This is unsatisfactory in a practical sense. Gaining a title was the main motivation for the move, at least by this point.
Naturally, though, it goes deeper than that. Because of injuries sustained during the regular season and postseason, George and Leonard have not fully recovered. In their first four seasons combined, they played 142 games (including playoffs) and finished with a 96-46 record.
Their greatest chance was the 2020–21 campaign, but Leonard was sidelined for the entire 2020–21 season after suffering a knee injury in Game 4 of the West semifinals. In the end, Phoenix defeated the Clippers in the 2021 West Finals.
This season, George has only missed one game while Leonard has not missed any. That is fortunate. With the exception of being almost dropped by Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks in the 2020 bubble playoffs, their time on the court together has never been a problem. For the most part, these two celebrities are in sync with one another, and their respective styles work well together.
And it’s already evident in 2023–2024. This month, Leonard is averaging 29.3 points per game on 62.3% shooting. George’s perimeter defense has been excellent as usual, but his offensive performance has been patchy.
What comes next: Things improve, though. The Harden deal is beginning to pay off. When Harden joined the team, there was unease. Suddenly, the Clippers needed to figure out how to combine his abilities with those of Leonard and George, as well as what to do with Russell Westbrook.
Westbrook was benched after starting. Harden relaxed and rediscovered his place and rhythm after giving in too much to Leonard and George. Leonard and George’s message to you is to be yourself.
The Clippers are currently in the top six in the West and are on the rise as a result.
Where the thunder stand.
Everything is good in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder are comfortably positioned in second place in the Western Conference and actively pursuing a stay there. Gilgeous-Alexander, who is returning from an All-NBA First Team run in 2022–23 with one that’s just as outstanding, if not better, is one clear reason.
After the trade: The Thunder started a thorough rebuilding after parting ways with George and Russell Westbrook in 2019. The duo was a fantastic duo that brought basketball back to Oklahoma City until Damian Lillard bid them farewell in the first round of the playoffs. That July, less than a week separated their trades for a bag full of picks.
This season: The Thunder and the Sacramento Kings from previous year are remarkably alike. Recall that the Kings’ fan base was roused when they ultimately recognized their young movement, which propelled them to a No. 3 finish in the West.
In terms of the roles they perform, Gilgeous-Alexander is De’Aaron Fox and Chet Holmgren is Domantas Sabonis. The league is on notice because this is exactly what the Thunder had anticipated would occur.
Back to Gilgeous-Alexander, nevertheless. His star power on offense is still undeniable. In addition to getting to the free throw line, he is making up for his 34.6% lifetime shooting percentage from beyond the arc. Furthermore, he is on pace to average thirty or more points per game for the second straight season (30.7 this season after 31.4 previous season). Throughout his career, George never averaged 30 points per game, with his highest point total coming in his last campaign with OKC.
What comes next?One could argue that OKC is in better overall form than the majority of NBA teams. Gilgeous-Alexander is a star for the Thunder, and they also have a young core, a competitive squad, a low salary, and a cache of future draft pick money. How many groups are filling up every box?
Sam Presti, the team president, has two options. He can continue with the current roster and wait to see what happens in the spring, assuming that the Thunder make the playoffs and do not suffer any major injuries or collapse. Alternatively, he can make trade deals with multiple teams during the February deadline in order to acquire a proven player, such as a disgruntled veteran or a player whose current team does not want him.
But the Clippers’ debt is virtually paid up. Los Angeles will produce unprotected first-round picks in the summer of 2026 and 2021, though those don’t seem to be headed for the lottery. The same is true for the 2025 swap.
1 Comment
The Thunder’s take in that trade was a pick that turned into JDub Williams. Worth mentioning, don’t you think?