NBA Draft: Thunder nearly finished Paul George trade, and it completely reshaped the franchise
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been pushed into an unlucky scenario in 2019. Despite ending in the top-3 of MVP voting and main the crew to a playoff look, Paul George wasn’t blissful.
George, reportedly due to his relationship with then-Thunder star Russell Westbrookdemanded a commerce. Eleven Kawhi Leonard signed a free-agent cope with the Los Angeles Clippersall the items began to fall into place. Leonard pushed the Clippers so as to add one other star and George made it recognized he wished out of Oklahoma City.
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That July, the deal was accomplished. George was leaving the Thunder to assist Leonard and the Clippers attempt and win an NBA championship. In trade for George, the Thunder obtained 4 unprotected first-round picks, one protected first-rounder and two decide swaps. The crew additionally obtained two gamers from the Clippers.
It was fairly the haul, one able to completely reshaping the Thunder… however provided that the crew made the proper strikes.
Following the Thunder’s selection of Aday Mara in the first spherical of the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday, the George commerce has nearly come to a close. It’s protected to say the deal labored out extraordinarily properly for the Thunder.
That’s as a result of one in every of the two gamers acquired for George was — at the time — a promising, younger rookie named Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
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Here’s what the deal appeared like when it was made again in 2019:
Thunder’s Paul George commerce, revisited
The Clippers obtain:
• Paul George
The Thunder obtain:
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
• Danilo Gallinari
• Clippers 2022 first-round decide
• Clippers 2024 first-round decide
• Clippers 2026 first-round decide
• Heat 2021 first-round decide
• Heat 2023 first-round decide (lottery protected)
• Clippers 2023 first-round decide (proper to swap picks)
• Clippers 2025 first-round decide (proper to swap picks)
So, how did these gamers and picks work out for the Thunder… let’s have a look.
Right off the bat, the Thunder very simply received the deal. Getting Gilgeous-Alexander, who has since blossomed right into a two-time MVP and a top-3 participant in the NBA, was a masterstroke. Gilgeous-Alexander has been the greatest participant on the greatest crew in the NBA and nonetheless has just a few years left in his prime earlier than he presumably loses a step.
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Most commerce evaluation would finish there. Getting a future franchise icon and potential Hall of Famer out of the deal makes it a transparent win for the Thunder… however the remainder of the deal is value breaking down.
Gallinari put up one stable yr of manufacturing with the Thunder earlier than being traded to the Atlanta Hawks for a conditional 2025 second-round decide.
In the 2021 NBA Draft, the Thunder used the Heat’s decide on Tre Mannwho was later dealt to the Hornets for Gordon Haywardwho averaged 5.3 factors in 26 video games with the Thunder earlier than retiring.
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In the 2022 NBA Draft, the Thunder used their very own first-round decide to take Chet Holmgren at No. 2 general. Ten picks later, the crew used the decide it acquired from the Clippers to pick out Jalen Williams.
After nearly successful the Rookie of the Year award in his first season, Williams has developed into an All-Star participant and an amazing second banana behind Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Thunder didn’t swap the Clippers’ 2023 first-round decide, rendering that irrelevant to the George commerce. The Heat’s 2023 first-round decide was later amended, and pushed to a future yr.
The Clippers’ 2024 first-round decide was shipped out of Oklahoma City in the Chris Paul-for-Westbrook deal.
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Various swaps and amended picks resulted in the Thunder taking Thomas Sorber in the first spherical of the 2025 NBA Draft. Sorber has not performed in the NBA but on account of an ACL harm. The crew additionally used the decide it acquired in the Gallinari deal to pick out Brooks Barnhizer in the second spherical. Barnhizer did not see a lot enjoying time as a rookie, averaging 1.7 factors per sport.
Additionally, the Thunder traded the Clippers’ 2025 first-round decide to the Sacramento Kings in trade for a protected 2027 first-round decide from the San Antonio Spurs.
Finally, the Thunder used the Clippers’ 2026 first-round decide on Mara.
Thunder get SGA and Jalen Williams from Paul George commerce
That’s quite a bit to digest. But if you happen to actually wished to interrupt it down by who’s left on the Thunder, you get the following return for George:
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• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (in the unique commerce)
• Jalen Williams (drafted by Thunder in 2022)
• Thomas Sorber (drafted by Thunder in 2025)
• Brooks Barnhizer (drafted by Thunder in 2025)
• Aday Mara (drafted by Thunder in 2026)
• A 2027 Spurs first-round decide (which is protected)
There have been plenty of different transferring components in the deal, clearly, however these are the gamers nonetheless rostered by the Thunder. And relying on what occurs with that 2027 Spurs decide, there’s much more to come back.
The jury remains to be out on a lot of the gamers acquired by the Thunder in the deal. Sorber, Barnhizer and Mara have not confirmed themselves in the NBA simply but. It’s doable they flip into helpful items transferring ahead. It’s additionally doable they do not develop.
Even in the latter situation, it’s robust to argue towards the George commerce. The Thunder bought Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams out of the deal. That’s a franchise-altering haul.
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The Clippers, in the meantime, loved 5 robust seasons from George, however no championships. In the course of, the crew mortgaged away their future picks and watched as George left for the Philadelphia 76ers forward of the 2024-25 NBA season.
Worst of all, the Clippers traded away Gilgeous-Alexander. Regardless of how properly George carried out in his 5 seasons in Los Angelesthat is a choice that can proceed to hang-out the franchise for a lot of, a few years to come back.
