NBA’s reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is currently the best player in the league.
Aside from winning the MVP award, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the 2025 NBA Championship.
It could be the start of a dynasty as Gilgeous-Alexander is currently in the prime of his career. While Thunder fans are over the moon, the LA Clippers’ fanbase can’t say the same.
After all, the Clippers famously traded Gilgeous-Alexander for Paul George in 2019. But what if the Clippers made the right decision?
Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty ImagesShai Gilgeous-Alexander never wants to play in Miami or LA
Since SGA’s explosion to stardom, the Clippers have become a punching bag for the media and fans alike. For instance, NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith blames Kawhi Leonard for the Gilgeous-Alexander trade.
However, Gilgeous-Alexander’s recent statement in an interview with GQ shows that he always intended to leave the Clippers.
“I like smaller cities. I can walk around here freely. It’s mostly older people walking the dog,” the 2025 NBA MVP said when asked if he wants to live in Miami or Los Angeles.
He added: “I was just in the NBA season for 10 months, and we were all over the place—fans 24/7, on a flight, off a flight. In my offseason, I want the absolute opposite, so I just hide out here.”
The life that the Thunder superstar explained would never be possible in cities like Miami or LA where he’s consistently under the spotlight.
So, did the Clippers make a mistake by trading SGA? Yes. But even if they never traded him, the Canadian superstar may have soon asked for a trade anyway.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on if he’ll play till 40
Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images
At 27 years old, Gilgeous-Alexander has just entered the prime of his career and won the first NBA Championship of his career.
Usually, this stage propels a player to repeat the same level of success for the foreseeable future. However, SGA is not your average star as he has already dropped a hint about his retirement.
“I definitely think I can. I won’t, though. A hundred percent. I won’t want to miss that much of my kid’s life,” Shai said when asked if he’ll play till he’s 40.
He continued: “And there’s a certain point in your career where you reach your peak. I don’t fault guys for still playing. They love the game.
“But I just feel like I play this game, ultimately, to see what the best version of me can be.”
“Once I figure that out and I start going down, then it’s like, Okay, well, what am I playing for now? As soon as that happens, I’ll be on the first ship out,” the Thunder star concluded.
While players like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant have extended their careers, Gilgeous-Alexander has no plans to do so, at least for now.