{"id":256881,"date":"2025-08-29T12:40:36","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T12:40:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/256881\/"},"modified":"2025-08-29T12:40:36","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T12:40:36","slug":"tyronn-lue-says-shai-gilgeous-alexander-thunder-trade-was-no-brainer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/256881\/","title":{"rendered":"Tyronn Lue says Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Thunder trade was \u2018no-brainer\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The post Tyronn Lue says Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Thunder trade was \u2018no-brainer\u2019<\/a> appeared first on ClutchPoints<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Clippers<\/a> head coach Tyronn Lue<\/a> revisited the 2019 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a>, which will go down in history as the initial step toward reaching the franchise\u2019s first NBA championship. Now, Gilgeous-Alexander is a full-fledged reigning MVP<\/a>, champion, and one of the league\u2019s emerging stars. However, looking back, Lue, who was an assistant coach for the Clippers at the time, admits he\u2019d still trade for Paul George.<\/p>\n

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With the thought of giving Kawhi Leonard an All-Star to play alongside, Lue says he\u2019d still trade<\/a> for George, considering who he was compared to Gilgeous-Alexander\u2019s rookie season, the Clippers head coach said in an interview with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t and we talked about it all the time, and 30 GMs or presidents, if it would have been done all over again, I would have done the trade too,\u201d Lue said. \u201cPG was second in MVP voting. Two-way player. It was like Jordan and Pippen. And Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander] was a really good young player, but you didn\u2019t know he was gonna be this. And I think it was the best thing for Shai. He was able to grow and figure it out and have his own team.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything in hindsight is 20\/20. You can say I would have never done that, but who wouldn\u2019t have traded a first-year player for a guy like PG [Paul George] to team up with Kawhi? Anybody would have done that. They\u2019re lying if they\u2019re saying they wouldn\u2019t. Shai now? It\u2019s not a question, but that was a no-brainer to me,\u201d Lue concluded.<\/p>\n

The Thunder also received Danilo Gallinari and four future first-round picks, which ultimately led to the selection of All-Star Jalen Williams in the 2022 NBA Draft. It\u2019s a trade cited as one of the most significant trades in recent NBA history.<\/p>\n

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander\u2019s dad gets honest about Clippers trade\"Alonzo<\/p>\n

Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/a>\u2019s father, Vaughn Alexander, also looked back on his son\u2019s trade from the Clippers. Gilgeous-Alexander\u2019s dad reflected on his son\u2019s trade<\/a> in an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints during the 2025 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it first happened, we were a little [disappointed],\u201d Vaughn Alexander told ClutchPoints. \u201cLike, obviously, you get traded out of a place that you\u2019re relaxed and you\u2019re comfortable in. It\u2019s LA. The weather is hot, you got girls, everything. We\u2019ll be loving it, right? But then after a while, you start to think, \u2018Wait a minute.\u2019 Because at first you\u2019re like, \u2018Wait, I got traded. I love this place.\u2019 But then, when you\u2019re really sitting down and thinking about it.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think it was Summer League where we sat down and thought about it. I was like, \u2018Shai, this is your chance to shine, bro.\u2019 This is it. This is destiny. That\u2019s what God wants for you,\u201d Alexander concluded.<\/p>\n

Six years later, Gilgeous-Alexander was holding the Larry O\u2019Brien trophy in one hand and the NBA Finals MVP in the other.<\/p>\n

Related: Thunder\u2019s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander haters must face harsh \u2018free throw merchant\u2019 truth<\/a><\/p>\n

Related: Chet Holmgren reveals key area of summer improvement before Thunder title defense<\/a><\/p>\n