When the Los Angeles Clippers dealt a 20-year-old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the move seemed like the ultimate push to put the Clippers in championship contention.
Yes, the Clippers gave up a haul of future picks, but they formed their dream star duo of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. As much promise as Gilgeous-Alexander showed in his lone season in L.A., the Clippers wanted to win now. To them, making a deal involving trading SGA gave them the best chance to do that.
Though Gilgeous-Alexander was initially distraught at being shipped off to a new team, the move did remarkable wonders for his development. Now, it is clear the deal wasn’t a hindrance to SGA’s career; it was a blessing in disguise.
The Clippers Locker Room Loved SGA Before He Was Traded
Clippers players loved Gilgeous-Alexander in the locker room and bought stock in the Canadian’s potential.
Clipper vet Lou Williams grew a bond with SGA and respected his disciplined work ethic for a young player. In just one year, Gilgeous-Alexander left an indelible impression on his teammates.
As excited as Williams was to play alongside Leonard and George, losing his youngster hurt.
“We were heartbroken when he got traded,” he said. “Absolutely. We were crushed… We have spent so much time and energy and kinda been instrumental in his career and development.”
Clippers players appreciated how receptive SGA was to their advice.
Williams grew so fond of SGA that he didn’t want the Clippers to have to give him up in the deal.
“When that trade for Paul George happened, I swear to God… the first thing I asked was, ‘Was Shai in the trade?’ That was the first thing I asked because that’s how much I believed in him as a rookie. He was one of the first young rookies I was ever on a team with and I was like, ‘Hey, that boy there is a star,’” Williams recalled.
Gilgeous-Alexander showed small glimpses of his star prowess in L.A., starting 73 games and averaging 10.8 points.
That Clippers team snuck into the 2019 playoffs despite not having a single All-Star on their roster. Gilgeous-Alexander upped his scoring in the first-round series against the Warriors, averaging 13.7 points on 46.7% from the field.
He scored 25 points in Game 4 and was a part of the team’s historic 31-point comeback in Game 2. The experiences and mentorship helped him grow. But in OKC, SGA’s evolution took off at a rate the Clippers could have never expected.
The Clippers’ Championship Window Never Fully Opened
With the Thunder, SGA had the reins of the team. Even with future Hall of Famer Chris Paul joining him in OKC, Shai was the go-to guy.
He lived through a team rebuild and three consecutive missed playoff berths, but the Clippers faltered in their own right.
After George and Leonard battled a slew of injuries, the Clippers appeared to have finally broken through—somewhat. They made their first and only Conference Finals appearance in 2020-2021 just as Shai’s Thunder ended the season with a 22-50 record.
The decision had been validated—or so it seemed.
The trajectory of both organizations ran parallel in the subsequent years. Gilgeous-Alexander grew as a primary option each game, steadily ascending to NBA stardom. He made his first All-Star team in 2023, putting up 31.4 points per game, all while the Clippers’ dream plan was crumbling to ashes.
Leonard and George were eliminated in the first round of the postseason three straight years, with the team facing more questions than answers.
SGA’s Rise Made the Trade Look Worse Every Season
George missed 51 games the following season (2022) with a torn UCL, and Leonard sat out the entire year rehabbing a torn ACL.
In the grand scheme of things, SGA’s career arc rose faster than anyone could have imagined. The Thunder went from a Play-In Tournament loss to a Western Conference Semifinals exit to NBA champions in the span of three years.
Gilgeous-Alexander has already reached the Western Conference Finals more times than Leonard and George did with the Clippers.
Each night that Shai dazzled on the court, he was further reminding the Clippers of the mistake they had made. Winning an MVP, NBA title, and Finals MVP in the same season was just the icing on the cake.
His on-court production isn’t the only component that has worked well; the team has meshed together seamlessly.
The Thunder’s chemistry appears second to none with SGA at the helm. Younger teammates have consistently praised SGA for his humility and work ethic. Shai has found the balance of leading the team as the go-to guy and building relationships with each player on the roster.
The Clippers Trade Still Stings
The two-time MVP has said that squaring off against the Clippers gives him special motivation. Despite the superstar status he has achieved in OKC, he still carries a chip on his shoulder about the Clippers prematurely giving up on him.
“The Clippers came into town, and I would be lying to you if I tell you I don’t get up to play the Clippers every time,” he admitted in Netflix’s “Starting 5” series. “For obvious reasons.”
Much of his success comes from having his own team. The ability to play through mistakes and learn, all while the organization tries to build a contender.
Would he have reached the same heights if he were still on the Clippers?
According to his Clippers coach Doc Rivers, yes, he would.
“He does,” Rivers said on Kevin Garnett’s KG Certified show. “You can ask Sam [Cassell], when we did the trade I told Sam, ‘Man, I know we gotta do this trade, but Shai is gonna be a superstar, man.’ You could see it early.”
What has drawn the most criticism from Clippers fans is not just that they traded away an MVP. The massive haul of picks the team had to give up mortgaged the team’s future.
“Now when I look back–what, six first-round picks? Holy goodness,” Rivers exclaimed.
Of the several draft picks in the trade package, one of the picks resulted in Jalen Williams. Williams played an integral piece to their championship squad, establishing himself as a formidable two-way player and All-Star.
Shai Is Now One of the NBA’s Greatest Players
In the wake of the NBA’s ruling on the Kawhi-Clippers saga, the team’s future is officially in jeopardy. The league withdrew five of the Clippers’ first-round draft picks between 2029 and 2033.
Kawhi and George are no longer Clippers. Not a single player from the 2019-20 squad is there.
Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander is just entering his prime at 28 years old. He is well on his way to becoming one of the NBA’s greatest players.
In March 2026, SGA joined LeBron James as the only other player to put up 35 points and 15 assists without turning the ball over. Shortly after, he passed Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 126 games scoring at least 20 points.
The Thunder were one game away from making their second consecutive NBA Finals appearance. Their core is one of the youngest in the league, loaded with players who have yet to hit their peak. The Thunder and SGA’s future look brighter than ever.
“I had a great year here when I was here,” he said after his return game against the Clippers in 2024. “Their front office made a choice they thought was better for their team; so did the Thunder. The last five years I’ve tried to focus on my development and be the best basketball player I can be for the Oklahoma City Thunder. And I’ll say it worked out in my favor.”
The sky is the limit for SGA, who inked a four-year supermax extension that has him in OKC until at least 2031.
Gilgeous-Alexander plays basketball for the love of the sport and has stated his mission is to maximize his talent. Testing the limits of how much he can achieve in the NBA is what still fuels him.
With the Thunder, he should have plenty of opportunities to do so.
The Right Side of the Trade Was Always Oklahoma City
As a member of the Thunder, Shai joins a drama-free environment with a load of picks coming their way—a stark contrast from the position of his former team.
The Clippers risked nearly everything for a championship window that closed the second SGA was out the door. Luckily for him, he ended up on the right side of the trade.
“I wanted to make sure Oklahoma City felt like, when it was all said and done, they won the trade,” he said. “It might have looked one way at the time, but that was my main focus—to try to flip the script.”
Seven years later, he more than made good on that promise.
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