Feb. 14, 2026, 9:00 p.m. CT
As Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recently detailed in his Netflix documentary, he loves to play his old squad. The LA Clippers famously traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 2019 blockbuster deal that has had seismic effects for the rest of the league.
Gilgeous-Alexander has blossomed into an MVP winner and NBA champion since then with the Thunder. The Clippers’ mortgaging their future for Paul George has set their franchise back years. The NBA now has its own version of the Herschel Walker trade.
The 2026 NBA All-Star break is here. The Thunder have already won the controversial trade, but could twist the knife even further with another Larry O’Brien trophy. They’ve sat atop the NBA standings all season and look like the league’s best team, despite some recent troubles and injuries.
At the NBA All-Star Media Day, Gilgeous-Alexander revealed his thoughts on being back in LA for the weekend extravaganza. The league’s newest arena is hosting it at the Clippers’ Intuit Dome. For the 27-year-old, it’s business as usual — especially considering his one-season tenure there was so long ago.
“It’s cool. It was so long ago and the arena is so different. It doesn’t really feel like I play here,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “When we play against them, the fans are always great. I love the wall. It’s dope. The city of LA has always been good to me.”
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Seven years later, the Clippers are almost out of their draft capital payment to the Thunder. A couple of more draft cycles will finally let LA regain control of its own future first-round picks. Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander hopes to pencil himself into being an NBA all-time great in OKC.