In 2019, the Oklahoma City Thunder swapped Paul George, but it didn’t look like a good move at the time.
The Oklahoma City Thunder has more talent than any team in NBA history in its short, 16-year history. Their three different MVP winners are few of them in any team during that period. They seem poised to win their first title of the season.
Their core of Shy Gilgauss Alexander and Jalen Williams is to trade Paul George in 2019 for the Los Angeles Clippers along with Gil Alexander, Danilo Garinari and seven first-round picks and swaps.
At the time, the Clippers, led by George and Kawi Leonard, were their favorites to win the finals, and the Thunder had begun a multi-year rebuild. Six seasons later, the SGA was better than George. The Thunder made the final.
But when Sam Presty pulled the trigger for the contract, it didn’t look like a big victory at the time.
After his first season with Thunder, George signed a four-year contract to stay with OKC. At the end of the second season in town, the Thunder gave him a trade request and took him to the Clippers.
However, the Thunder did not need to admit his trade demands, and at this point they seemed wise to deny him.
His last George 2018-19 season at OKC sent out Thunderpacking with Damian Lillard hitting a 37-foot buzzer beater in Game 5 of the first round playoff matchup.
That year was the best of George’s career. He posted career highs on points, steel and rebounds, and was selected as the first team in All-Defence in the only All-NBA All-Defence, finishing third in the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year vote.
George asked for trade, and once it was allowed Russell Westbrook did the same thing.
However, the following season, the “bubble” playoffs opened the NBA as wide as ever, allowing George, Westbrook, Gerami Grant, Stephen Adams and Dennis Schroeder to run in the finals rather than blowing the roster.
In hindsight, George Trade was very helpful to the Thunder, but at this point the NBA seemed ripe for filming for the Thunder, but George ultimately wanted to play in a large market. Six seasons later, the Clippers appear to be poised to take a step back.
George’s current team – the Philadelphia 76ers overpad for him, missed the playoffs, and the lightning is on the cliff of the dynasty.
George’s 2018-19 season was one of the best seasons in lightning history, and thanks to Durant’s two-way advantage, he was closer to Westbrook’s triple double crown in 2016-17, making sure he wasn’t considered one of the best thunderers ever.
Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander appears poised to take the crown.