9-for-1! How Much Did the Clippers Lose in That Trade?

Five years have passed since that fateful summer of 2019. Do you remember your reaction back then? A week after the free agency period opened, the Clippers executed two moves that shook the entire NBA. First, they signed free agent Kawhi Leonard. Then, in a blockbuster trade with the Thunder, they acquired Paul George, forming the highly anticipated Kawhi-Paul George duo. However, as we all know, the Kawhi-Paul George pairing never reached the heights expected of it. In five years, the duo failed to win a championship and didn't even make it to the NBA Finals. Plagued by injuries, they managed to win only 13 playoff games together, fewer than Leonard's single-season total with the Raptors. With George leaving the Clippers this summer, the duo has officially disbanded, leaving behind a trail of questions and doubts. But looking back at the summer of 2019, both players were undeniably some of the hottest commodities in the league.

Kawhi Leonard was coming off a championship run with the Raptors, where he earned his second career Finals MVP. His performance against the 76ers in the playoffs was particularly memorable: he averaged 34.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists over seven games, shooting 53% from the field, and hit the series-clinching buzzer-beater in Game 7. Paul George, meanwhile, had just completed a career-best season with the Thunder, averaging 28.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.2 steals, shooting 38.6% from three-point range. He was named an All-Star, made the All-NBA First Team, and the All-Defensive First Team, and finished third in both the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year voting.

The Clippers were already a strong team before the arrival of Kawhi and George. They had pushed the reigning champion Warriors to six games in the first round of the playoffs, including a historic 31-point comeback win in Game 2. With Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, Patrick Beverley, and Landry Shamet still on the roster, the addition of Leonard and George seemed to make the Clippers instant title contenders, especially with the Warriors' dynasty coming to an end. Fans across the league were electrified, and the Thunder fans, in particular, were left bewildered. They went from spectators in the "Where will Kawhi go?" saga to participants in a massive trade that dismantled their team.

The ripple effects of the Kawhi-Paul George pairing were significant. The Thunder traded Russell Westbrook, officially starting a rebuild. The Lakers, who had hoped to sign Kawhi, had to settle for other free agents, which ultimately paid off with a championship. The Rockets traded Chris Paul for Westbrook in a move that led to James Harden's eventual departure.

Let’s dive into the specifics of the trade between the Clippers and the Thunder:

• The Thunder sent Paul George to the Clippers.
• The Clippers sent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round picks, and two pick swaps to the Thunder.

The five first-round picks were:

• 2022 unprotected
• 2024 unprotected
• 2026 unprotected
• 2021 unprotected (from the Heat)
• 2023 lottery-protected (from the Heat)

The two pick swaps were in 2023 and 2025.

Now, five years later, how bad did this trade turn out for the Clippers?

At the time, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had already shown considerable potential. Yet, to acquire George, the Clippers were willing to part with him. Today, Gilgeous-Alexander is a bona fide star. Last season, he averaged 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.0 steals, shooting 53.5% from the field with a true shooting percentage of 63.6%. He led the Thunder to the top of the Western Conference, finished second in MVP voting, and was named to the All-NBA First Team for two consecutive years. Gilgeous-Alexander alone has justified the Thunder's end of the trade, but there's more.

The first-round picks acquired by the Thunder have also proven invaluable:

• The 2021 Heat pick became the 18th overall pick, used to select Tre Mann, a promising player now with the Hornets.
• The 2022 Clippers pick became the 12th overall pick, used to select Jalen Williams, who averaged 19.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists last season and is a core piece of the Thunder's future.
• The 2023 Heat pick was deferred to 2025 (lottery-protected). If not conveyed, it becomes an unprotected 2026 first-round pick.
• The 2024 Clippers pick turned into the 26th overall pick, used to select Dillon Jones from Weber State.
• The 2023 pick swap was not exercised.

So even with George now gone, the Thunder still hold the 2025 Clippers pick swap, the 2025 lottery-protected Heat pick (or the unprotected 2026 pick), and the unprotected 2026 Clippers first-round pick. Unlike this year, 2025 and 2026 are considered to be strong draft years.

Many fans might argue that no one could have predicted the outcome, especially the development of Gilgeous-Alexander and the value of the 2022 first-round pick. Indeed, in 2019, George was undeniably a superstar. However, every trade carries the risk of hindsight criticism, as the Thunder themselves experienced when they infamously traded James Harden. From today's standpoint, the Clippers clearly lost the trade. Even if we look back to 2019, some felt that the Clippers had given up too much.

The Clippers had a chance to silence the critics by winning a championship over the past five years, which would have justified the trade regardless of the Thunder's rise. Unfortunately, we know how the story unfolded. Despite George's departure, the Clippers still owe the Thunder more picks, making the situation even more lamentable for the franchise.

In conclusion, the trade that once seemed like a coup for the Clippers has, in hindsight, been a resounding loss. The combination of Leonard and George, meant to bring championships, brought more questions and what-ifs, while the Thunder, who appeared to be entering a rebuild, now look like the ultimate winners of the deal.