On this day in 2019, the Oklahoma City Thunder shocked the sports world when they shipped Paul George to the LA Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and a rich supply of 2020s draft picks.
The deal was one of the largest volumes of draft picks in league history. Six years later, it’s proven to be the launching point of the Thunder’s quick ascension into an NBA championship, plus possibly more.
This Clippers threw the Thunder a life vest. They stared down the barrel of being stuck with a highly-expensive roster that had three straight first-round exits. They turned that around for a lucrative amount of draft picks that rejuvenated the franchise.
The original package of draft picks included the Clippers’ first-round pick in 2022, 2024, 2026 and swap rights in 2023 and 2025. OKC also acquired the Heat’s protected first-round pick in 2021 and 2023.
Meanwhile, the Clippers landed George and Kawhi Leonard within minutes of each other. This provided them with one of the best duos in the league with championship aspirations from the get-go. Alas, that never happened. Inconsistencies and injuries ruined their shot.
A couple of draft cycles remain, but the results have been fantastic for the Thunder. They added Jalen Williams with LA’s 2022 first-round pick. He turned into an All-NBA player and helped OKC win a championship. They also landed Thomas Sorber from the deal. And while Tre Mann didn’t work out with the Thunder, his traded salary helped them land Isaiah Hartenstein.
It was a massive swing and miss by the Clippers to mortgage their future. The Thunder have reaped the benefits with a championship. Something LA has never won. They can thank them for that, as Gen Z Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were directly added from the George trade.