Did the Clippers Just Make the Worst Trade in NBA History? How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Is Turning the Paul George Deal Into a Cautionary Tale…….
In the summer of 2019, the Los Angeles Clippers stunned the NBA by acquiring superstar Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder, part of a mega-deal that featured Clippers parting with rising guard Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander, veteran Danilo Gallinari, and five first-round draft picks, plus future pick swaps .
At the time, it appeared to be a blockbuster win for L.A. — pairing George with Kawhi Leonard, fresh off a Finals MVP season, looked like the blueprint for a superteam. Yet six years on, the outcome tells a dramatically different story.
Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander’s Meteoric Rise
MVP & Scoring Title: Gilgeous‑Alexander, now 26, claimed his first NBA MVP award in 2025, notching a league-leading 32.7 points per game .
Finals Contender: He led Oklahoma City to a 68–14 regular-season record, the franchise record, and on the brink of its first championship appearance in this era .
Playoff Heroics: Averaged 30+ points, 6–8 assists, and 5–6 rebounds through 18 playoff games — joining only Jordan and LeBron in such elite company .
Foundation Player: Became the face of OKC’s young core; pivotal draft assets like Jalen Williams emerged from Clippers’ former picks .
Through his transformation from overlooked rookie to league MVP, SGA became the centerpiece of a Thunder renaissance. Meanwhile, the Clippers saw all-offense, no-hustle veterans, and dwindling assets that actualized into past picks and money.
Clippers’ Big Gamble Fizzles
High Expectations, Low Results: Despite high-profile signings and a Conference Finals appearance in 2021, LA never reached the NBA Finals .
$400M+ Investment Lost**: Both George and Leonard earned nearly $200 million each during their tenure, with limited playoff returns .
Assets Depleted: By targeting short-term contention, the Clippers mortgaged future flexibility — ending with no championships and aging stars.
Paul George eventually left for Philadelphia in free agency, and Leonard’s injuries further derailed the Clippers’ vision. Their window slammed shut before it truly swung.
Thunder Win the Long Game
Under GM Sam Presti, the Thunder fully embraced a rebuild:
Asset Accumulation: Traded two max players—George, Westbrook—in exchange for draft capital and young talent .
Smart Drafting: Used Clippers’ picks to select contributors like Jalen Williams and Tre Mann .
Core Development: Invested in SGA’s growth, allowing him to flourish as a franchise centerpiece.
Oklahoma City’s blueprint now stands as an NBA model: trading veterans for young assets, building a cost-effective nucleus, and executing a patient rebuild ending in Finals contention .
A Tale of Two Outcomes
This story has mirrored across the league. The Thunder and Indiana Pacers both benefited from sending Paul George away—Pacers got Tyrese Haliburton, while OKC got position no. 2 in the Finals . Meanwhile, George himself hasn’t reached a Finals since 2019.
The contrast is sharp: teams turning aging stars into high-upside youth have soared—while superteams reliant on big-money veterans have struggled.
Final Word
In hindsight, the Clippers’ decision may go down as one of the most lopsided trades in modern NBA history. They gambled on immediate impact, mortgaged their mid-to-long-term future, and ended up empty-handed. Meanwhile, Thunder’s patient rebuild, anchored by SGA and preserved draft capital, transformed what seemed like relinquishing a star into acquiring three or four.
Today, NBA analysts, fans, and reporters refer to this trade as a cautionary tale—the ultimate example of how present-day blockbuster fantasies can crumble when weighed against the cost
of lost youth, missing draft capital, and aging stars .